Silica nanocasting of lyotropic surfactant phases and organized organic matter: material science or an analytical tool?

Abstract

The synthesis of porous inorganic films and materials by templating organized organic matter with nanosized structural elements is an actual field in the cross-section of inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and surfactant science. This discussion article will review recent experiments in this area on a variety of systems and try to evaluate the outcome of both material applications and the basic understanding of self-assembly processes of organic self-organization.