SILICA OVERLAYERS PREPARED USING ORGANIC TEMPLATE MOLECULES ON TIN OXIDE AND ITS MOLECULAR-SIEVING PROPERTY

In order to create a molecular recognition property on an oxide surfac e, a silica overlayer was prepared on tin oxide by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of silicon alkoxide using pre-adsorbed benzoate anion s as template molecules, which were then removed. Silica overlayers on tin oxide prepared in this way showed the adsorption property to disc riminate between molecules based on their molecular size, i.e., to pos sess a molecular sieving property. The size of the vacancies in the si lica overlayers was controlled by the template molecule.