Silicas with hierarchical porous architectures attracted much attention, due to their potential applications in catalysis and separation. Generally, they were prepared through dual- or triple-templating approaches. Herein, mesoporous silica nanoparticles with rod-like pore channels inside and lamellar mesopores on the surfaces were prepared using the self-assemblies of a chiral low-molecular-weight amphiphile as templates through a single-templating approach. The formation of the lamellar mesopores was studied by taking field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images after different reaction times. The lamellar pores were proposed to be formed by merging rod-like micelles during the sol-gel process. Moreover, helical nanofibers with rod-like pore channels inside and lamellar mesopores on the surfaces were prepared with the addition of n-octanol as a co-structure-directing agent.

The morphologies and pore architectures of mesoporous ethenylene-silica were controlled using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as template and (S)-β-citronellol as a co-structure-directing agent under basic conditions. When the (S)-β-citronellol/CTAB molar ratios are in the range of 0.75–2.0, helical nanofibers were obtained. With increasing the (S)-β-citronellol/CTAB molar ratio, the lengths of the nanofibers increases. Lamellar mesopores were identified on the surfaces of the nanofibers prepared in the (S)-β-citronellol/CTAB molar ratio range of 1.5–2.0. At the (S)-β-citronellol/CTAB molar ratio of 2.5:1, nanoparticles with nanoflakes on the surfaces were obtained. The field emission scanning electron microscopy images taken after different reaction times indicated that the helical pitches of the nanofibers decreased with increasing the reaction time. Helical 1,4-phenylene-silica and methylene-silica nanofibers were also prepared. The results indicated that the morphologies and pore architectures of the obtained organic-inorganic hybrid silicas are also sensitive to the hybrid silica precursors. Helical ethenylene-silica nanofibers with lamellar mesopores on their surfaces can be also prepared using the mixtures of CTAB and racemic citronellol within a narrower citronellol/CTAB molar ratio range.

Left-handed double twisted silica nanoribbons were prepared through a sol-gel transcription approach in the mixtures of ethanol and water. The self-assemblies of a chiral low-molecular-weight amphiphile served as the templates. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope. These double twisted silica nanoribbons were several micrometers in length, 50 to 70 nm in wideness, about 15 nm in thickness. The silica nanoribbons can be prepared in a large scale.