INORGANIC BEADS WITH HIERARCHICAL PORE STRUCTURES

摘要

Disclosed is a method for the production of porous inorganic beads with hierarchical pore structures for use, for example, in chromatographic separation procedures. The method comprises combining in a liquid medium at least one porous templating particle and a matrix material precursor under conditions such that the matrix material precursor is allowed to infiltrate the templating particle(s); allowing the matrix material precursor to solidify to form composite beads; and removing the templating particle(s) from the composite bead(s) thereby forming porous beads comprising a porous matrix supplemented with one or more larger pores corresponding to the cavities left by the removed templating particle(s). Preferred are silica, titania and zirconia beads. The invention also provides a separation matrix comprising inorganic beads exhibiting a hierarchical pore structure. The inorganic beads have large surface areas, thereby allowing for high adsorption capacities of target molecules, and improved mass transport properties, particularly at high flow rates.