Periodic mesoporous silica-based organic - Inorganic nanocomposite materials

The area of periodic mesoporous materials prepared by cooperative assembly in the presence of amphiphile molecules underwent dramatic growth. Among the silica-based materials, many types may be regarded as ordered organic-inorganic nanocomposites. These were divided into five categories: (i) noncalcined amphiphile/silica mesophases, (ii) mesoporous silicas with organically modified surfaces, (iii) expanded mesoporous silicas, (iv) mesoporous organosilicates, and (v) mesoporous silica with occluded organic materials such as polymers. The diversity of such nanocomposites created new potential opportunities in materials sciences, catalysis, separation, and environmental remediation. These applications involved the development of new chemistry not only within the confined pores and channels but also on functionalized surfaces as well as within the channels walls. The current review deals with recent progress in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of each of these types of periodic mesoporous silica-based hybrid materials.