An interfacial co-assembly strategy for synthesizing gradient mesoporous hollow silica sheets is reported. The SO42− and NH4+ were aggregated by protonated amphiphilic polymer PVP and formed (NH4)2SO4 crystals at the n-pentanol-water interface. Negatively charged silica oligomers can be confined on the (NH4)2SO4 crystal surface by the Coulomb interaction of NH4+ and co-assembled with CTAB under the catalysis of ammonia molecules. After removing the (NH4)2SO4 cores and CTAB template by washing and extraction, the first layer of mesoporous hollow silica was formed. Modulating the n-pentanol-water interface to n-hexane-water interface, n-hexane swelled CTAB micelle co-assembled with silica oligomers and formed the second layer of mesoporous silica with larger pore size. The finally obtained gradient mesoporous silica sheet shows remarkable gradient rejection rates for molecules with different sizes.
- Yangbo Dong
- Danyang Feng
- Zhen-An Qiao
