In the field of micelle templated structures (MTS), the MSU-X family of mesoporous silica is obtained by using nonionic poly(ethylene oxide)-based surfactants. We show that the microstructure of these materials is highly dependent on the initial pH conditions and that a first assembly step, using a mild acidity, which allowed us to obtain a stable solution containing micellar hybrid objects made of both surfactant micelles and small silica oligomers, can be determined in the 2−4 pH range. The second step of the synthesis consists of the condensation of the silica particles and can be performed in two different ways. Either the pH of the stable solution is increased to neutral values or small amounts of fluoride are added. With the second method both the nanostructure and the particle morphology are better controlled. This novel two-step synthesis leads in addition to hexagonal pore framework when assembly molecules such as Tween 60 or block copolymer Pluronic P123 are used as assembly agents.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are biological water channels known for fast water transport (∼10(8)-10(9) molecules/s/channel) with ion exclusion. Few synthetic channels have been designed to mimic this high water permeability, and none reject ions at a significant level. Selective water translocation has previously been shown to depend on water-wires spanning the AQP pore that reverse their orientation, combined with correlated channel motions. No quantitative correlation between the dipolar orientation of the water-wires and their effects on water and proton translocation has been reported. Here, we use complementary X-ray structural data, bilayer transport experiments, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to gain key insights and quantify transport. We report artificial imidazole-quartet water channels with 2.6 Å pores, similar to AQP channels, that encapsulate oriented dipolar water-wires in a confined chiral conduit. These channels are able to transport ∼10(6) water molecules/s, which is within 2 orders of magnitude of AQPs' rates, and reject all ions except protons. The proton conductance is high (∼5 H(+)/s/channel) and approximately half that of the M2 proton channel at neutral pH. Chirality is a key feature influencing channel efficiency.