Functional-template directed self-assembly (FTDSA) of mesostructured organic-inorganic hybrid materials

Abstract

Since the discovery of a surfactant directed self-assembly approach for the fabrication of mesoporous silica in 1992, increasing attention has been focused on the design and synthesis of mesostructured functional materials. Organic functionalization is becoming a major topic in this research field, since highly ordered mesostructured organic-inorganic hybrids offer novel functionalities and enhanced performance over their individual components. We begin with a brief overview of the three fundamental methods (post-synthetic grafting technique, co-condensation method, and preparation of periodic mesoporous organosilicas) for the preparation of organically functionalized mesostructured silica, and focus on one of the most promising approaches, which herein was named as functional-template directed self-assembly (FTDSA) approach, and in the eyes of the authors it has a special position in the preparation of this class of hybrid materials. A comprehensive overview of the state of research in the area of FTDSA and its potential applications will be given. mesoporous materials, self-assembly, organic-inorganic hybrids

Coordination Polymers as Template for Mesoporous Silica Films: A Novel Composite Material Fe(Htrz)3@SiO2with Remarkable Electrochemical Properties

“…For example, one can cite surfactant/swellingagent micellar templates for getting ultralarge pores, 13 the combination of soft and hard templates or the use of solid lipid nanoparticles for the elaboration of hierarchical porous structures, 14,15 the use of ionic liquids to form mesoporous ionogels, 16 or the resort to functionalized surfactants that may lead to functional hybrid materials in one step. 17 From that last point of view, even if organically functionalized mesoporous silica can be obtained from either postsynthesis grafting or cocondensation using appropriate organosilane reagents or as periodic mesoporous organosilica, 7,18 a straightforward way to functional mesoporous materials would be via the use of nonsurfactant molecular templates that would fill the mesopores while acting as porogen during the formation of the silica network. 19,20 The spontaneous formation of ordered mesoporous silica using nonsurfactant templates remains however highly challenging, especially if wishing to prepare silica-based materials containing the molecule alone (i.e., without another porogen), as sol−gel processing in the presence of nontemplating organic additives usually leads to their molecular dispersion in the silica matrix, resulting in disordered mesoporous materials.…”

“…Since the first report on ordered mesoporous silicates generated by a surfactant-directed cooperative self-assembly approach, the preparation of nanostructured inorganic solids with organic templates has become a platform for new generations of functional hybrid materials. − Besides the widely used ionic or nonionic surfactants and amphiphilic block copolymers extensively used as templates to fabricate well-defined nanomaterials with controlled structural dimensions and shape, ,− other types of structure-directing agents have appeared in view of extending the characteristics of mesoporous silica-based materials, thus widening the scope of their application. For example, one can cite surfactant/swelling-agent micellar templates for getting ultralarge pores, the combination of soft and hard templates or the use of solid lipid nanoparticles for the elaboration of hierarchical porous structures, , the use of ionic liquids to form mesoporous ionogels, or the resort to functionalized surfactants that may lead to functional hybrid materials in one step . From that last point of view, even if organically functionalized mesoporous silica can be obtained from either postsynthesis grafting or co-condensation using appropriate organosilane reagents or as periodic mesoporous organosilica, , a straightforward way to functional mesoporous materials would be via the use of nonsurfactant molecular templates that would fill the mesopores while acting as porogen during the formation of the silica network. , The spontaneous formation of ordered mesoporous silica using nonsurfactant templates remains however highly challenging, especially if wishing to prepare silica-based materials containing the molecule alone (i.e., without another porogen), as sol–gel processing in the presence of nontemplating organic additives usually leads to their molecular dispersion in the silica matrix, resulting in disordered mesoporous materials .…”