Silica Polymeric Networks Templated with D-Fructose – as Host Matrices for Natural Extracts Immobilization

Abstract

In the present paper a non-surfactant templating route has been employed to prepare new fluorescence nanostructured materials, by combining some natural organic molecules present in vegetal extracts with three-dimensional silica and hybrid silica-silsesquioxane networks. The results obtained clearly indicated that organic chromophores like flavonoid compounds from two extracts with bio-active principles (orange peel extract and ornamental bush extract) can be efficiently immobilised in the host silica and hybrid matrices, using D-fructose as template. The confirmation of immobilization process was demonstrated by extensive characterization of final materials, achieved based on spectroscopy technique, fluorescence intensity measurements and transmission electron microscopy.

Keywords:

• D-fructose
• extract immobilization
• fluorescence activity
• hybrid matrices

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Romanian National CNCSIS-UEFISCSU program, project No ID_1050/2007. The authors gratefully acknowledge its financial support.