Sol-Gel Physical and Covalent Entrapment of Three Methyl Red Indicators: A Comparative Study

We report the results of a comparative study of the properties of three azo dyes from the methyl red indicator family, which were coentrapped with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide within tetramethoxysilane-derived silica sol-gel matrices. Characteristic parameters studied were spectral shifts, shifts in indicating ranges and in pK_i values, isosbestic-point behavior, changes in the titration curves and stability to leaching. Physical entrapment of methyl red and para-methyl red (pMR) is compared to the covalent entrapment of a trialkoxysilane derivative of methyl red. High stability for leaching was found for all three entrapped indicators. The pK_i change in entrapped pMR is interpreted in terms of intracage motion induced by pH changes.