This work reports the synthesis, self-assembly and light-responsive disassembly of a novel dumbbell-like supramolecular triblock copolymer (DSTC). The DSTC has an amphiphilic hyperbranched-linear-hyperbranched structure and can self-assemble into monolayer vesicles in water. In addition, the vesicles could disassemble into unimers under UV light due to the trans-to-cis isomerization of the AZO groups.

•We design and synthesize the amphiphilic ABC triblock terpolymer template.•We synthesize the large-pore mesoporous silica with two dimensional p6 mm structure and interconnected three dimensional porous structure.•CSDA method is applied for preparing the large-pore mesoporous silicas.The mesoporous silicas with two dimensional p6mm structure and interconnected three dimensional porous structure with large pore size of 16.9–18.0 nm were synthesized by the self-assembly of amphiphilic ABC triblock terpolymer, co-structure directing agent and silica source.

Mesoporous silicon nanofibers were synthesised by magnesiothermic reduction of earthworm-like, lamellar structured silica nanotubes for use in developing highly efficient lithium ion batteries. The silica nanotubes resulted from the single-molecular-layer arrangement of a bolaamphiphile surfactant. The calcined mesoporous silica nanotubes transformed into mesoporous silicon nanofibers (nf-Si) after magnesiothermic reduction. Finally, carbon-layer-coated silicon nanofibers (nf-Si@C) were obtained by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), which displayed a stable capacity of approximately 1141 mA h g−1 over 100 cycles at 0.2 C.

Amino group functionalized mesoporous silica with large pore size was obtained by one-step self-assembly of an amphiphilic AB diblock copolymer containing a hydrophobic poly(styrene) (PS) tail and a hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) head, a co-structure directing agent (CSDA) and a silica source. The mesoporous silica possessed hexagonal arranged ordered channels with large pore size of ca. 27.5 nm, and 3.1 mmol g−1 amino group loading amount.

Tailoring the wall thickness and organo-functionalization are two important issues in the design and application of mesoporous materials. Herein we report a novel strategy to deal with such two issues simultaneously by using a commercially available silicone surfactant, an ABA-type triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polydimethylsiloxane-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO14-b-PDMS13-b-PEO14). The silicone surfactant serves as the template for directing meso-structures, the source of functional groups for surface modification, and the silica source for strengthening the wall of mesochannels. Meanwhile, 1,3,5-trimethyl benzene (TMB) was employed as the pore-swelling-agent. The mesoporous silica materials with thick walls and/or hydrophobic dimethylsiloxane functionalized pores were achieved by calcination and extraction, respectively.Graphical abstractHighlights► Silicone surfactant containing PDMS block was used as template. ► PDMS block integrate the pore template, the organo-groups and the silica source. ► Functionalized and/or thick wall mesoporous silica materials were achieved. ► TMB was used as the pore-swelling-agent.

Mesoporous silicon nanofibers were synthesised by magnesiothermic reduction of earthworm-like, lamellar structured silica nanotubes for use in developing highly efficient lithium ion batteries. The silica nanotubes resulted from the single-molecular-layer arrangement of a bolaamphiphile surfactant. The calcined mesoporous silica nanotubes transformed into mesoporous silicon nanofibers (nf-Si) after magnesiothermic reduction. Finally, carbon-layer-coated silicon nanofibers (nf-Si@C) were obtained by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), which displayed a stable capacity of approximately 1141 mA h g−1 over 100 cycles at 0.2 C.