Fabrication and Functionalization of Inorganic Materials Using Amphiphilic Molecules

In this review, the synthesis of inorganic materials with various properties using amphiphilic molecules is examined. Amphiphilic molecules are used for the formation of highly ordered mesostructures and the surface modification. Two examples of the mesostructures are crystalline mesoporous titania (TiO₂) and the novel visible light responsive mesostuructured titania modified with dye in the pores, which can be fabricated using the molecular self-assemblies of amphiphiles as templates. Surface modification using amphiphilic molecules enables the construction of self-assembled arrays of silica particles and the preparation of a film that can control adsorption/desorption behavior of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by light irradiation.