Chromophores in porous silicas and minerals:: preparation and optical properties

Various synthesis strategies for the preparation of chromophores in porous silicas and minerals like zeolites, zeolite analogues and clays are described focusing on soft procedures Eke the sol-gel technique, microwave-assisted crystallization inclusion, and deposition in solution in combination with the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The mild preparation methods protect sensitive dye molecules from chemical degradations. The influences (i) of the chemical properties of the mineral hosts, e.g., polarity and acidity, and (H) of their spatial constraints on the guest molecules, i.e., their organized arrangement and photophysical properties, are demonstrated exemplarily. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.