A first insight in the mechanisms involved in the self-assembly of 2D-hexagonal templated SiO2 and TiO2 mesostructured films during dip-coating

Since mesoporous materials can be prepared by combining the sol-gel chemistry and the structuring effect of surfactants, they have attracted attention for application in various high technology fields. The present work deals with the analyses of the mechanisms involved in the formation of SiO2 and TiO2 highly organised 2D-hexagonal meso-structured films using Brij 58 as surfactant. The preparation of such films by dip-coating involves rapid evaporation which makes the different steps difficult to control. Simultaneous in-situ SAXS (synchrotron) and interferometry analyses have been performed to get a first understanding of the self-assembly process. SiO2 and TiO2 materials have a different chemical reactivity (kinetics and coordination aspects). However, we show that the mechanisms involved during dip-coating are quite similar : the self-assembly leading to the organised phase takes place at a final stage of the drying process, involves the formation of a disorganised intermediate phase and depends also on the presence of micellar interfaces in addition to film/air and film/substrate interfaces.