Cubic Mesoporous Silica with Large Controllable Entrance Sizes and Advanced Adsorption Properties

Large cavities (≈10–12.3 nm) of cubic (Fm-3m) mesoporous silica without intergrowth are synthesized in the presence of block copolymer templates. The entrance sizes of these cavities can be adjusted in the range of ≈4–9 nm as confirmed by nitrogen sorption studies and an examination of the negative gold replicas. The 3D open mesostructures facilitate the transportation of biomolecules (see picture), as well as the replication of a large-pore (9 nm) cubic mesoporous carbon. Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under http://www.wiley-vch.de/contents/jc_2002/2003/z51027_s.pdf or from the author. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.