Mesoporous thin films: A versatile platform for the tailored construction of complex nanosystems with well-defined spatial localization of chemical functions

G. J. A. A. SOLER-ILLIA; P. C. ANGELOMÉ; M. C. FUERTES; A. CALVO; A. WOLOSIUK; M. BELLINO; A. ZELCER; F. J. WILLIAMS; O. AZZARONI; A. E. REGAZZONI

Honolulu

Congreso; Pacifichem 2010; 2010

ACS

Mesoporous Thin Films (MTF) can be created by the combination of sol-gel synthesis and self-assembly of supramolecular templates. A wide palette of inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic frameworks with a variety of composition and pore sizes can be obtained. In addition, the wise use of chemical techniques for surface modification permits to add nanoscale, organic or biological functions to the inorganic skeleton, the pore surface or the pore volume. The overall properties of these multifunctional pore systems are tuned by the pore size and geometry, wall composition and chemical-nanoscopic functions in the pore surface or pore volume. After few synthesis steps, complex materials presenting a wealth of interesting electronic, optical and chemical controlled features can be produced. Well-defined monodisperse sized pores also act as nanoreactors, or nanocavities with controlled environment and behaviour constituting a robust “nanofacility” for applications in catalysis, separation or sensing processes. In the last years, the production of accessible MTF, in which either the pore surface or pore volume can be modified by organic functional groups, polymers or nanoparticles has been thoroughly explored. MTF constitute thus a platform with prospective applications for advanced integrated devices. Each highly controlled MTF originated from a reproducible and modular synthesis is indeed a building block for more complex structures, presenting organisation at different length scales (molecular, mesoscopic, macroscopic), and novel properties derived thereof. In addition, the possibility of combining these synthesis strategies with top-down ink-jet printing, lithography or soft patterning techniques permits to obtain hierarchical and addressable films for new devices. Selected examples of multifunctional MTF with applications in perm-selective membranes, environment-reactive photonic crystals, photocatalysis or biocatalytic substrates are presented to illustrate the advances in this exciting field.