title: Formation of a new Ia-3d cubic meso-structured silica via triblock copolymer-assisted synthesis.
abstract: A new mesoporous silica structure with cubic Iad symmetry has been synthesized. The structure has very large unit cell dimensions, up to 250 A in the as-synthesized form and 222 A after calcination, and the surface area is around 700 m2/g. The syntheses were done according to well-established synthesis conditions with the triblock copolymers Pluronics P103 or P123, except for the addition of NaI to the synthesis mixture. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed that the sample has Iad symmetry. According to electron micrographs, the structure is similar to that of MCM-48, and we thus propose that the structure lies on the gyroid minimal surface.
authors.affiliation: Physical Chemistry 1, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE- 221 00 LUND, Sweden. katarina.flodstrom@fkem1.lu.se
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flodström
authors.forename: Viveka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alfredsson
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Källrot