Multifunctional periodic mesoporous organosilicas prepared with block copolymer: Composition effect on morphology

Bi- and trifunctional periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) materials were prepared using 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene, 2,5-bis(triethoxysilyl)thiophene, and 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane organosilica precursors, and a P123 PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymer template under a low acidic condition. PMO powders were observed to have an ordered hexagonal (p6mm) mesostructure with pore diameters in the range of 5.8–6.4 nm and displayed rod-(thiophene/ethane-rich PMOs) and rope-type (phenylene-rich PMOs) morphologies with different aspect ratios as the composition of organosilica precursors.