Polymeric micelle assembly with inorganic nanosheets for construction of mesoporous architectures with crystallized walls

Here we propose a novel way to construct mesoporous architectures through evaporation-induced assembly of polymeric micelles with crystalline nanosheets. As a model study, we used niobate nanosheets exfoliated by the direct reaction of K4Nb6O17·3 H2O crystals with an aqueous solution of propylamine. The electrostatic interaction between negatively charged nanosheets and positively charged polymeric micelles enable us to form composite micelles with the nanosheets. Removal of the micelles by calcination results in robust mesoporous oxides with the original crystalline structure.