Porcine pancreatic Lipase Immobilized in Amino-Functionalized Short Rod-Shaped Mesoporous Silica Prepared Using Poly(ethylene glycol) and Triblock Copolymer as Templates

Mesoporous materials have large ratio surface areas, an average pore diameter, and ordered pore arrangement, showing promising application in the fields of catalysis, adsorption, separation, and functional materials. In this study, short rod-shaped mesoporous silica (SRSMS) were prepared using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and P123 as dual templates and functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) by a postsynthesis-grafting method. The synthesis conditions, including PEG chain length and PEG concentration, when the dual templates were added to the reaction system are discussed. The results show that the d(100) increased continuously with the increase of PEG concentration and molecular weights (MW). When PEG with different MW was added, the pore size of SRSMS changed a little, while it increased with increasing PEG content. Pore volumes and surface areas of SRSMS decreased, while the two-dimensional hexagonal p6mm mesoscopic structure remained after functionalization. Porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) was used as a model enzyme for studying the effect of amino-functionalization on loading amount and enzymatic activity. As a result, functionalized SRSMS immobilized PPL showed the better reusability, higher catalytic activity, and thermal stability.