Synthesis of a silica monolith with textural pores and ordered mesopores

Untitled

“…[2] Various synthesis strategies yielding micrometer to millimeter-sized spherical geometries obtained through microemulsion sol-gel synthesis have been reported [3][4][5][6][7], while larger spheres, films and coatings [8][9][10][11] and monolithic morphologies [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] have been demonstrated by careful control of synthesis conditions. In fabrication of monolithic mesostructures through direct templating to obtain cast monoliths or membranes, inadequate diffusion of the inorganic moieties within the preformed lyotropic phase as well as uncontrolled phase separation have caused certain heterogeneities during synthesis that adversely affected the structural characteristics of the material.…”

Preparation and characterisation of silica monoliths using a triblock copolymer (F68) as porogen

“…They reported three types of morphologies depending on the molecular weight of PEG: under 2000 they obtained a particle aggregate morphology, between 2000 and 8000, they found network morphologies and above 8000 they reported a mixed type where the network has larger pores. Moreover, several non-ionic surfactants such as Pluronic P123 [13], Pluronic F127 [14] or polyoxyethylene nonylphenylethers [15] were used as phase separation inducers. In addition, triblock copolymers especially Pluronic P123 and Pluronic F127 were also used as a mesopore templates [12][13][14][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

“…Moreover, several non-ionic surfactants such as Pluronic P123 [13], Pluronic F127 [14] or polyoxyethylene nonylphenylethers [15] were used as phase separation inducers. In addition, triblock copolymers especially Pluronic P123 and Pluronic F127 were also used as a mesopore templates [12][13][14][16][17][18][19][20][21]. The addition of trimethylbenzene (TMB) is assumed to enhance the self-organisation of the Pluronics to transform the mesopore system from random to ordered [22].…”

“…The addition of trimethylbenzene (TMB) is assumed to enhance the self-organisation of the Pluronics to transform the mesopore system from random to ordered [22]. An ordered mesopore network was also obtained with P123 and a greater amount of water [16] or F127 block copolymer [14]. Nakanishi et al [15] also reported the preparation of silica monoliths using non-ionic surfactants as porogens and found that the cumulative pore volume (of the mesopores) increased with the decrease of the alkyl chain length of the surfactant.…”

Macroporous Titania Monolith Prepared via Sol‐gel Process with Polymer Foam as the Template

“…16 Amphiphilic molecules can be also used as uniform templates and the preparation is simple, but only suitable for preparing micro structural products. 17,18 Esquena et al prepared a porous polystyrene monolithic template from a highly concentrated W/O emulsion via the phase inverse temperature (PIT) method with a narrow pore size distribution. 19 However, the PIT method is difficult to control and the implement of the parallel experiments is forbidden.…”