Surfactant templated metal oxide matrix

Complexation of metal ions and subsequent incorporation of the resulting metal complex into the oxide matrix during surfactant-templated synthesis prevents aggregation and leads to a homogeneous distribution of metal centers in the mesostructure. Copper- and vanadium-substituted mesoporous silicas were prepared in this way [107,108], Such materials have great potential in the field of catalysis. 

The as-synthesized mesostructures obtained from these six methods consist of spatially and chemically well-defined aiTays containing inorganic species and organic template molecules which are not porous. Ordered pore structures result when the surfactant templates are removed from the channels between metal oxide domains. Removal of the surfactant templates is commonly achieved by calcination at 400-800°C or by extraction with solvents that have high solubilities for the corresponding surfactant templates. When porosity is maintained, calcination provides a measure of the chemical and thermal robustness to the matrix. 

---