Synthesis of meso-porous silica using mixed cationic-nonionic surfactants as templates

Using the mixture of cationic surfactant-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTA B) and six nonionic surfactants as templates, meso-porous silica was synthe sized, The d space of silica templated by CTAB is 3. 5 nm. The d spaces cou ld be controlled by changing the ratio of nonionic to cationic surfactants and by increasing the length of nonpolar chain of nonionic surfactants in t he mixed cationic-nonionic surfactant templating systems. The pore dimensio n of silica in the mixed surfactants templating system is larger than that in CTAB system and a well ordered structure of pore array was maintained.