Periodic mesoporous organosilicas derived from amphiphilic bulky polymethylsiloxane

Abstract

Novel organosilica materials have been prepared from the newly reported sol–gel processable polymethylorganosiloxane. Under acidic conditions, the intrinsic self-assembling properties of the starting siloxane constitute an impediment to tune the mesostructure. In contrast, the sol–gel polymerization undertaken under basic conditions ensures a monophasic polysiloxane–silica interpenetration, which results in the formation of MCM-41-type PMOs with well-defined ordered structures.