Functional group-template integrated ABC copolymersiliconesurfactant directing for highly hydrophobic mesoporous silica

Abstract

Mesoporous silica materials with hydrophobic pore channels have been fabricated by using an ABC copolymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-graft-(poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-block-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)) (PDMS-g-(PEO-b-PPO), PSEP) as a template. The PSEP molecule integrated the hydrophobic functional groups, the hydrophobic chain for pore formation and the hydrophilic part for silica wall formation. The hydrophobic functionalization was achieved by being calcined at low temperature to selectively remove the PPO and the PEO segments.