Mesoporous materials with 2-50 nm diameter pores are being investigated for many potential applications including drug delivery, environmental remediation, gas storage, and catalysis. Liquid crystal templating offers a convenient method to control the pore size and organization in these materials, such as in MCM-41 and SBA-15. In 2010, we reported a new type of mesoporous material that has a chiral nematic organization of channels. Using cellulose nanocrystals as a template, mesoporous glasses with chiral nematic order can be prepared. By tuning the synthetic conditions and their compositions, we have obtained a family of new materials with interesting porosity and photonic properties.[1-4] In this presentation, I will describe our efforts to produce new materials that mimic the structures of iridescent beetle shells.

References:

[1] K.E. Shopsowitz, H. Qi, W.Y. Hamad, M.J. MacLachlan, Nature 2010, 468, 422.
[2] K.E. Shopsowitz, W.Y. Hamad, M.J. MacLachlan, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 10991.
[3] Kelly, J. A.; Shukaliak, A. M.; Cheung, C. C. Y.; Shopsowitz, K. E.; Hamad, W. Y.; MacLachlan, M. J. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 8912.
[4] Khan, M.K.; Giese, M.; Yu, M.; Kelly, J.A.; Hamad, W.Y.; MacLachlan, M.J. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 8921.