The influence of gold on the properties of silica mesoporous materials

The properties of gold modified silica mesoporous materials were investigated on the successive preparation stages. Samples were obtained by the direct introductionof HAuCl$\text{}_{4}$ aqueous solution to the synthesis mixture of silica. It was stated that partial substitution of -Cl with -OH ligands occurred in the diluted solutions of HAuCl$\text{}_{4}$. The replacement of -Cl with -Br groups in gold complexes took place in the synthesis mixture containing hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant molecules. It was found that gold species influenced the removal of organic templates from the channels of silica materials. Pore arrangement was not strongly distorted by the presence of small amounts of gold. Heat treatment led to the pronounced changes of the nature of gold species.