Periodic mesoporous organosilicas : from simple to complex bridges : a comprehensive overview of functions, morphologies and applications

Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas (PMOs) were developed in 1999 and are basically ordered templated mesoporous organosilicas, prepared by the combination of a surfactant as template and a silsesquioxane as the organosilica precursor. They were one of the first examples of the so-called ‘‘hybrid’’ organic/inorganic materials. In the years that followed, an amazing variety of functional groups, morphologies and applications has been developed. Some of these high-end applications, like low-k buffer layers in microelectronics, chiral catalysts, chromatographic supports, selective adsorbents and light-harvesting devices, have clearly shown their potential. In this review, we will give a comprehensive overview of all these different functionalities and applications that have been created for Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas