Handedness inversion in preparing mesoporous silica nanoribbons.

A new chiral cationic amphiphile has been synthesized. Sol-gel transcriptions were carried out to control mesoporous silica nanostructures using the organic self-assemblies of this amphiphile as templates. Left-handed coiled mesoporous silica nanoribbons were obtained in the mixture of 1-propanol and 2.5 wt% NH3 aq. at the ratio of 2:8 and 0 °C. However, right-handed coiled mesoporous silica nanoribbons were prepared in 2.5 wt% NH3 aq. at 25 °C. The organization of the low-molecular-weight gelators plays an important role in this handedness inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]