Multiphase Assembly of Mesoporous−Macroporous Membranes

A novel procedure has been developed for the synthesis of spongelike silica membranes with three-dimensional meso−macrostructures. The process utilizes multiphase media comprised of a mesoscopically ordered block copolymer/silica phase that macroscopically separates from an electrolyte phase. This results in hierarchically organized composite structures whose different characteristic length scales can be independently adjusted.