Thermo-responsive hydrogels containing mesoporous silica toward controlled and sustainable releases

• Thermo-responsive hydrogel containing mesoporous silica with high surface area is synthesized.
• The ordered mesostructure of KIT-6 is completely preserved after incorporating the PNIPAM.
• Thermo-responsive hydrogel shows the temperature-dependent adsorption and release of guest molecule.

Here we prepare thermo-responsive hydrogel containing mesoporous silica (KIT-6) with high surface area. Our hybrid hydrogel is prepared by gelation of NIPAM monomer with mesoporous silica particles in presence of cross linker. Owing to the doped mesoporous silica, a large amount of guest molecules are adsorbed easily. With increase of temperature, the hybrid hydrogel shrinks to retard the release of guest molecules.