Structural Regulation of Mesoporous Silica and Characterization of the Microenvironment Inside a Silica Mesopore

Inorganic and inorganic/organic nanoporous materials synthesized by a supramolecular templating approach have been extensively studied, because they provide a stable and uniform nano-cavity. Since molecular functions inside the nano-cavity depend on the cavity structure, it has been expected that nanoporous materials with a well-defined pore structure can be used to control the chemical process by the pore structure. In this paper, we introduce structural features of mesoporous silica, which is one type of nanoporous material. In addition, the characteristic features on the acid-base equilibrium reaction, pH, and viscosity inside the silica mesopore are also described.