日本ゼオライト学会　刊行物 Publication of Japan Zeolite Association

Structurally controlled mesoporous silica has been mainly synthesized by trial-and-error experiments, and the relationship between a self assembly of surfactant and the structure was considered based on the synthesis results. In this review, we introduce utilization of ingredients such as water-soluble silica precursor, tetrahydroxyethyl orthosilicate (THEOS), and the synthesis procedure of mesoporous silica. Characterization of mesoporous silica, which is structurally identical to the surfactant self-assembly, was also mentioned. We have confirmed that lytropic liquid crystal (LLC) of nonionic surfactant bearing cholesterol moiety (ChEO₁₀) was copied to the mesoporous silica.

This novel silica precursor (THEOS) in conjunction with ChEO₁₀ is expected as a soft matter self-assembly applicable to designing and synthesising of mesoporous silica. The application of the system also provides a way to investigate the formation mechanism and structural control of mesoporous silica. Furthermore this synthesis process is environmentally friendly one since it requires neither solubilizer nor hydrolysis catalyst in the process.