3-APTES on Dendritic Fibrous Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for the pH-Controlled Release of Corrosion Inhibitors

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) are currently used in different fields like catalysis, nanomedicine, and conservation science, taking advantage of their high surface area. Here, we synthesized and functionalized mesoporous dendritic fibrous nanoparticles to realize a smart delivery system of protective agents for metals. Different MSNPs were obtained via the microemulsion method followed by a hydrothermal or refluxing treatment at different w/o ratios, times, and temperatures. Dendritic spherical silica nanoparticles with specific features such as an appropriate size (450 nm), a very large surface area (600 m2 g−1), and a high yield synthesis (86%) were selected for surface modification. The fiber surface of the selected MSNPs was functionalized with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (3-APTES). 3-APTES works as a pH-driven “nanogate”, suppressing the immediate leakage of the total guest molecule load and modulating the release as a function of pH conditions. Surface-modified MSNPs were tested as a reservoir of the most diffused corrosion inhibitors: Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and 1H-Benzotriazole (BTA); their release properties were studied in solutions with pH = 4 and 7. Functionalized and non-functionalized MSNPs showed a good loading efficiency of guest molecules (34–64%) and a pH-dependent release of the corrosion inhibitors on a timescale of several hours.