Polysiloxane‐Based Block Copolymers as Structure‐Directing Agents in the Synthesis of Hierarchically Organized Silica Monoliths

In this work the successful application of commercially available, linear PEO‐PDMS‐PEO block copolymers in the synthesis of hierarchically organized silica monoliths comprising a periodic arrangement of mesopores as well as a well‐defined macroporous morphology is presented. All silica monoliths were synthesized via the sol‐gel approach with an ethylene glycol‐modified silane (EGMS) as precursor. Beyond their use as structure‐directing agents, these siloxane surfactants can also be employed as agents to tailor the surface polarity by controlled thermal decomposition of the hydrophilic PEO blocks resulting in a hydrophobic organosiloxane‐covered surface.