The behavior of fluorinated surfactant F(CF2)8C2H4(OC2H4)9OH in water solution was investigated, and the preparation ofmesoporous molecular sieves was achieved. A direct micellar phase (L1) and a hexagonal (H1) liquid crystal were found. Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements proved that the hydrophobic chains are completely extended and that the cross sectional area remains constant in H1. At 80 degrees C, materials with a hexagonal array of their channel are prepared via a cooperative templating type mechanism in a wide range of surfactant concentrations (5-20 wt %). Decreasing the hydrothermal temperature leads to the formation ofwormhole-like structure. In this case the channel arrangement is no longer governed by the surfactant behavior but by the silica condensation and polymerization. An increase of the mean pore diameter with heating temperature is noted. This result is associated with changes of aggregation number with temperature. A comparison of the characteristics of the materials obtained with both hydrogenated and fluorinated surfactants is also made.

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We have investigated the phase behavior of the R(F)(7)(EO)(8) surfactant in water as well as the effect of the solubilization of various fluorocarbons in this system. Results show that the cloud point (CP) curve is shifted to high temperatures upon addition of fluorocarbons, following the sequence 1-bromo-perfluorooctane (PFOB) < perfluorodecalin (PFD) < perfluorooctane (PFO). The values of the phase inversion temperature (PIT) associated with these systems increase in the same order: PFOB approximately 65 degrees C, PFD approximately 82 degrees C, and PFO > 90 degrees C. Starting from these systems, we have prepared mesoporous and hierarchical porous materials. The formation of the ordered mesoporous materials has been related to the CP curve. Indeed, our results show that mesoporous materials with a high degree of ordering are obtained from systems whose CP curve is shifted toward high temperatures. We have also correlated the formation of the hierarchical porous silica to the PIT. It appears that the design of macro-mesoporous materials is favored with systems that exhibit a high value of the PIT.