One-step synthesis of ordered mesostructural organic/silica nanocomposites with tunable fluorescence surfactants

Mesostructured nanocomposites with tunable fluorescence were prepared by one-step synthesis using fluorescent surfactants with 1, 2 and 3 units of thiophene as templates. The XRD data showed that the resulting nanocomposites exhibited ordered mesostructures, which could be further confirmed by TEM observation. Moreover, the surfactants with longer hydrophobic chain lengths result in mesostructured nanocomposites with larger lattice constants. Fluorescent properties of these nanocomposites, compared with the same fluorescent surfactants in other environments, showed fluorescence bands that were red-shifted in the fluorescence spectra. N₂ adsorption- desorption experiments indicated that the rearrangement of PEO chains and the conjugated part of surfactants occurs upon hydrothermal treatment, thus enlarging the pore diameter, surface area and pore volume of the resulting mesostructured nanocomposites.