Structure and Dynamics of Water Confined in Mesoporous Silica and Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica

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Water in confinement plays an important role in various industrial and biological processes. In the present work, water was confined in mesoporous silica (MCM-41) and periodic mesoporous organosilica with phenyl groups embedded in silica matrices (Ph-PMO). The structure and the dynamics of water confined in MCM-41 and Ph-PMO were investigated by X-ray and neutron scattering measurements. Water confined in MCM-41 (pore diameter 21 Å) is not frozen upon cooling to as low a temperature as 140 K; however, a tetrahedral-like (ice-like) structure of water is developed in the core of the pores. Water molecules interact strongly with the hydrophilic wall of MCM-41 through hydrogen bonding, whereas in the pores of Ph-PMO with increased hydrophobicity by the phenyl groups embedded in the silica matrices water molecules tend to assemble in the central region of the pores.