Challenge towards synthesis of non-silica-based hybrid mesoporous materials

−111− Synthesiology English edition Vol.11 No.3 pp.111 –123 (Feb. 2018) extremely narrow pore size distribution. Although the image is a common sight now, one can imagine that the transmission electron microscope (TEM) photograph that showed the uniform ordered mesopores that was published in Nature at the time of its discovery made a great impression on materials researchers. Figure 1 (top) shows a typical analysis result of mesoporous silica. A nanoscale ordered structure can be seen from X-ray diffraction measurement in the low-angle range, and it is possible to directly visualize the structure through TEM observation. Also, by analyzing the shape of nitrogen adsorption isotherms, it is possible to calculate a specific surface area, pore capacity, and pore size distribution. However, impurities or materials that have not turned porous may be mixed. Therefore, to determine the success of mesoporous silica synthesis, it is necessary to see not only the uniformity and periodicity of mesopores, but also various analysis results comprehensively.