Synthesis of mesoporous silica/anodic alumina membranes has been extensively researched. Our fi ndings are summarized, comparing various techniques and also signifi cant challenges that will greatly aff ect the essential membrane application.Anodic alumina-templated synthesis of mesostructured silica membranescurrent status and challenges Silo Meoto and Marc-Olivier Coppens * Numerous fabrication methods have been employed in the preparation of anodic alumina-confined, ordered mesoporous silica membranes. The sol-gel and aspiration techniques appear to be the most promising, but realizing a completely filled, crack free, hybrid membrane is still a challenge on macroscopic scales. Presented in this paper are current synthetic challenges involved in the formation of such a hierarchically structured membrane. Overcoming these challenges is essential to use these hybrid materials for membrane separations. ¼ no application; * ¼ THT-based sol; RT ¼ room temperature. 5646 | J. Mater. Chem. A, 2014, 2, 5640-5654 This journal is

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Hierarchically structured membranes composed of mesoporous silica embedded inside the channels of anodic alumina (MS-AAM) were synthesized using the aspiration method. Ethanol is shown to have a significant effect on the type and organization of the mesoporous silica phase. Detailed textural analysis revealed that the pore size distribution of the mesoporous silica narrows and the degree of ordering increases with decreasing ethanol concentration used in the synthesis mixture. The silica mesopores were synthesized with pores as small as 6 nm in diameter, with the channel direction oriented in lamellar, circular, and columnar directions depending on the ethanol content. This study reveals ethanol concentration as a key factor behind the synthesis of an ordered mesoporous silica-anodic alumina membrane that can increase its functionality for membrane-based applications.

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