A Universal Lab-on-Salt-Particle Approach to 2D Single-Layer Ordered Mesoporous Materials

The advantages of existing ordered mesoporous materials have not yet been fully realized, due to their limited accessibility of in-pore surface and long mass-diffusion length. A general, controllable, and scalable synthesis of a family of two-dimensional (2D) single-layer ordered mesoporous materials (SOMMs) with completely exposed mesopore channels, significantly improved mass diffusion, and diverse framework composition is reported here. The SOMMs are synthesized via a surface-limited cooperative assembly (SLCA) on water-removable substrates of inorganic salts (e.g., NaCl), combined with vacuum filtration. As a proof of concept, the obtained CeO2-based SOMMs show superior catalytic performance in CO oxidation with high conversion efficiency, approximate to 33 times higher than that of conventional bulk mesoporous CeO2. This SLCA is a promising approach for developing next-generation porous materials for various applications.