Hydrothermally Stable Thioether‐Bridged Mesoporous Materials with Void Defects in the Pore Walls

Hydrothermally stable thioether‐bridged mesoporous materials have been synthesized by one‐step co‐condensation of 1,4‐bis(triethoxysily)propane tetrasulfide (TESPTS) with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) using cetyltrimethylammonimum bromide (CTAB) as the surfactant in basic conditions. The ordered mesoporous materials can be formed with a wide range of thioether concentrations in the mesoporous framework, as is seen by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. The results of N₂ sorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal that the materials synthesized with TESPTS/TMOS molar ratios in the range 1:8–1:3 have extensive structural defect holes in the nanochannels. All materials exhibit enhanced hydrothermal stability, which is in proportion to the concentration of thioether bridging in the mesoporous framework. The thioether‐functionalized mesoporous materials are efficient adsorbents for removing Hg²⁺ and phenol from waste water. The Hg²⁺‐adsorption capacity of the material can be as high as 1500 mg g^–1.