Photocalcination of mesoporous silica films using vacuum ultraviolet light

Supramolecular assemblies of surfactant molecules are often used to synthes ize mesoporous silica (MPS). However, elimination of the surfactant molecul es by conventional thermocalcination after MPS film synthesis often leads t o film distortion or breakage. Here the effective removal of surfactant mol ecules at room temperature is described in which the hexagonal mesostructur e of the film is preserved. The technique used-photocalcination-is based on the photochemical decomposition of organic molecules under irradiation wit h vacuum ultraviolet light.