Self-Assembling Functional Molecules in Mesoporous Silicate Materials: Optical Properties and Mesophase of Dye-Doped M41S

A synthetic pathway to functional mesoporous silicate materials of the M41S type by self-assembly between a dye-bound surfactant and sol-gel-derived silica is presented here. Functional molecules are doped and assembled in the center of the mesochannels of these products. Acidic synthesis conditions allowed silicate mesophases to be formed as lamellar films and hexagonal powders (see Figure).