Self-Assembly of Shape Controlled Hierarchical Porous Thin Films: Mesopores and Nanoboxes RID D-5301-2009

Hierarchical porous thin films with well-defined pore dimensions and topologies have been obtained through an evaporation induced self-assembly process. The films show a cubic ordered array of mesopores together with the presence of well-defined nanoboxes that appear homogeneously dispersed in the material. The nanoboxes are formed by controlled crystallization of NaCl during the evaporation of the solvent when the film is deposited. The pores can be selectively emptied by thermal treatment and water washing allowing the preparation of a new generation of hierarchical porous materials