Silica-based macrocellular foam monoliths with hierarchical trimodal pore systems

Silica-based large monoliths exhibiting a trimodal hierarchical pore system have been successfully prepared through a nanotectonic approach starting from sub-micro/nanometric mesoporous particles (as building blocks), and using a polyurethane foam as macrotemplate. Large trimodal pieces with macrocellular like interconnected macropores in the micrometer range are a mineralized replica of the polyurethane foam. Textural large-mesopores/macropores (in the 20-70 nm range) have their origin in the inter-particle voids. The small intra-particle mesopore system (with pore diameters around 2-3 nm) is due to the supramolecular templating effect of the surfactant.