Nanocasting, templated syntheses and structural studies of manganese oxide nanoparticles nucleated in the pores of ordered mesoporous silicas (SBA-15)

We have used 2D hexagonal SBA-15 silicas as templates for the nanofabrication of Mn oxide particles. Despite challenging aspects (several oxidation states of manganese, several polymorphs for each oxidation state), manganese oxides were chosen because of the high economical and environmental significance associated with their ion-exchange, molecular adsorption, electrochemical, magnetic and catalytic properties. We show that single phase MnO x nanoparticles can be prepared within SBA-15 mesopores. The interest of diffraction and absorption measurements recorded in situ upon calcination to follow the crystallization of these particles at increasing length scales is illustrated.