Protein Adsorption on Spark Plasma Sintered Mesoporous Silicate Compacts

Abstract

The preparation of mesoporous silica compact through spark plasma sintering (SPS) and adsorption / desorption of protein onto SPS mesoporous silica (MPS) compact is reported. MPS powders, prepared using triblock copolymer, PEO20PPO70PEO20, were compacted in carbon die and heated at 400 or 500 °C for 5 min under uniaxial pressure. The products are referred to as MPS-400 and MPS-500, respectively. The MPS sinters keep the mesoporous configuration, but the mode diameter of MPS-400 was smaller than that of MPS powders and MPS-500. The adsorbed amounts of protein on MPS-400 was higher than that on MPS-500, while the pore diameter, BET surface area, pore volume of MPS-400 are less than those of MPS-500. The interstices in MPS-500 are narrower than that in MPS-400, which may restrict the protein to penetrate through the narrow channels to reach the mesopores of MPS. The quantity of adsorbed amount of protein on MPS sinters does not depend on mesopore configuration but on the macropore configuration of the MPS sinters.