Transparent thin films and monoliths prepared from dye-functionalized ordered silica mesostructures

Abstract

Micelle templating and co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and 3-(2,4-dinitrophenylamino)propyl-triethoxysilane in the presence of hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide has been used to synthesize transparent yellow thin films and monoliths of organic dye-functionalized MCM-41 silica: these hierarchical materials consist of covalently linked inorganic–organic networks with mesoscale periodicity and macroscale organization.