Molecularly imprinted catalysts and methods of making and using the same

1. A molecularly imprinted catalyst comprising:

a core comprising a titania-based photocatalyst; and

a layer at least partially encapsulating the core, the layer comprising titania covalently coupled to one or more silane coupling agents having an organic functional group, wherein the layer further comprises one or more molecular-sized cavities configured to selectively receive one or more contaminants.

2. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the titania-based photocatalyst comprises at least 50% by weight titania.

3. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the titania-based photocatalyst comprises doped titania.

4. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the titania-based photocatalyst comprises an anatase phase.

5. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the core has a largest dimension less than or equal to about 1 μm.

6. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the molecular-sized cavities have a largest dimension less than or equal to about 100 nm.

7. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the silane coupling agents comprise at least one of N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, (N-trimethoxysilylpropyl)polyethyleneimine, trimethoxysilylpropyldiethylenetriamine, 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane, 1-trimethoxysilyl-2(p,m-chloromethyl)phenylethane, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, isocyanotopropyltriethoxysilane, bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide, 3-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-(Amino ethylaminomethyl)-phenyltrimethoxysilane, carboxyethylsilanetriol, N-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-4,5-dihydroimidazole, decyltriethoxysilane, hydroxymethyltriethoxysilane, isobutylmethyldimethoxysilane, 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, phenyltrimethoxysilane, N-trimethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride, ureidopropyltriethoxysilane, or 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane.

8. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the contaminants comprise at least one of nerve agents, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceutical compounds, pesticides, proteins, or dyes.

9. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the contaminants comprises at least one of acetone, acid blue 9, acid yellow 23, acrylamide, alachlor, atrazine, benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, bromodichloromethane, carbofuran, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chlorodane, chloroform, chloromethane, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, dalapon, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, o-dichlorobenzene, p-dichlorobenzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1-dichloroethylene, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloropropane, di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, dinoseb, dioxin(2,3,7,8-TCDD), diquat, endothall, endrin, epichlorohydrin, ethylbenzene, ethylene dibromide, glyphosate, a haloacetic acid, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclopentadiene, lindane, methyl-tertiary-butyl ether, methyoxychlor, napthoxamyl(vydate), naphthalene, pentachlorophenol, phenol, picloram, isopropylbenzene, N-butylbenzene, N-propylbenzene, sec-butylbenzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), simazine, sodium phenoxyacetic acid, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, toxaphene, 2,4,5-TP (silvex), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,1,1-trichloro ethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, a trihalomethane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, vinyl chloride, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, a G-series nerve agent, a V-series nerve agent, bisphenol-A, bovine serum albumin, carbamazepine, cortisol, estradiol-17β, gasoline, gelbstoff, triclosan, ricin, a polybrominated diphenyl ether, a polychlorinated diphenyl ether, a polychlorinated biphenyl or a fullerene.

10. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein a molar number of the silane coupling agents in the layer relative to a number of molecular-sized cavities in the layer is from about 0.5 to about 10.

11. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the silane coupling agents covalently coupled to the titania are configured to hydrogen bond with contaminants received in the molecular-size cavities.

12. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the silane coupling agents covalently coupled to the titania are configured to form a nonpolar interaction with contaminants received in the molecular-size cavities.

13. The catalyst of claim 12 , wherein the nonpolar interaction comprises a pi-stacking interaction.

14. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises one or more pore channels.