HYDROPHOBIC ORGANOSILICATE-MODIFIED SILICA GELS

摘要

The present invention is hydrophobic organosilicate-modified silica gels and a method for their preparation. The method comprises two steps, where in the first step an organosilicate-modified silica hydrosol is heat treated in the presence of a strong mineral acid at a pH less than pH 1 to form an organosilicate-modified silica hydrogel. In the second step, the organosilicate-modified silica hydrogel is contacted with an organosilicon compound in the presence of a catalytic amount of a strong acid to effect hydrophobing of the organosilicate-modified silica hydrogel thereby forming a hydrophobic organosilicate-modified silica hydrogel having a surface area within a range of 100 m2/g to 750 m2/g as measured in the dry state. In a preferred method, the hydrophobic organosilicate-modified silica gel is contacted with a sufficient quantity of a water-immiscible organic solvent to convert the hydrophobic organosilicate-modified silica hydrogel into a hydrophobic organosilicate-modified silica organogel.