Thin films of mesoporous silica: preparation and characterization

Preparation of mesoporous materials in a thin film geometry was first repor ted in 1996. Recently, improvement of the preparation methods yielded stabl e films with well-defined symmetries, controlled pore orientation, continui ty and film thickness. The ability to tailor film properties is important f or their utilization in applications ranging from catalysis to microelectro nics, where morphological control in the meso-domain is vital. (C) 2000 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.