Abstract
We synthesized mesoporous silica SBA-16 thin films via evaporation induced self assembly by dip-coating method using F127 triblock copolymer to investigate proton transport phenomena in mesopores with highly ordered 3D cubic structures. Using the electrochemical measurements of ionic current under DC electric fields, we elucidated proton transport phenomena flowing through the mesopores of SBA-16 thin film. At low concentrations, unlike nonlinear behaviors of I-Vcurves of KCl aqueous solutions, those of HCl aqueous solutions were almost linear. These linear behaviors can be attributed to a decrease in electric potential barrier due to drop in surface charge density caused by active protonation with silanol groups on the inner surface of mesopores.
