Photoprocesses in mesoporous silicas prepared by a supramolecular templating approach

Mesoporous solids derived from inorganic-surfactant mesostructured materials have been investigated extensively from both fundamental and practical viewpoints owing to their unusually high surface area and porosity, ordered pore arrangements, pore size uniformity, as well as possible surface engineering. These characteristic features of the mesoporous solids have motivated research to apply them practically. This class of materials was originally expected to find applications as adsorbents and catalysts, while other advanced materials applications such as in optics/electronics became a field of interest after their successful fabrication in controlled morphology. This review article summarizes the studies on the photochemistry and photophysics of guest species occluded in mesoporous silicas in order to highlight the characteristic features of the mesostructured and mesoporous solids and their potential for optical applications.