Hierarchically ordered oxides

Porous silica, niobia, and titania with three-dimensional structures patter ned over multiple Length scales were prepared by combining micromolding, po lystyrene sphere templating, and cooperative assembly of inorganic set-gel species with amphiphilic triblock copolymers. The resulting materials show hierarchical ordering over several discrete and tunable Length scales rangi ng from 10 nanometers to several micrometers. The respective ordered struct ures can be independently modified by choosing different mold patterns, lat ex spheres, and block copolymers. The examples presented demonstrate the co mpositional and structural diversities that are possible with this simple a pproach.