Mesoporous materials are special nanoporous materials containing well-defined mesochannels with a pore diameter between 2 and 50 nm. The high surface area, ordered structure, tunable pore size, and easiness of functionalization have made mesoporous silica powder and thin films interesting materials for a wide range of applications including drug delivery, absorption, separation, catalysis, energy conversion, and storage. The sol–gel process has emerged as a promising technique for the synthesis of nanostructured mesoporous silica materials as it provides the advantages of low-temperature processing and easy control of the synthesis parameters. Although it offers several advantages over other synthesis techniques, it also has the drawbacks of high sensitivity to processing conditions. Hence, this review paper aims to give critical insights into the sol–gel process, the chemistry of sol–gel silica, the formation mechanism of mesoporosity, and the effects of the reaction parameters. A good understanding of these phenomena is essential to better control and optimize the properties of the final material for specific needs and applications. Additionally, this review paper discusses the different methods applied to the synthesis of nanostructured ordered mesoporous thin film silica, including the Electrochemically Assisted Self-Assembly method of synthesis. The EASA method is a novel and promising technique for the synthesis of well-ordered and vertically aligned pore channels of mesoporous thin films as it is required for mass transport applications. Moreover, the effects of sol composition, pH, applied potential, and deposition time on the final thickness of the thin film are elaborated on in detail. Furthermore, this comprehensive review highlights the potential and opportunities for future research and development in the area to further advance and use its full potential advantages.

中文翻译：

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纳米结构介孔二氧化硅粉末和薄膜的溶胶-凝胶合成

介孔材料是特殊的纳米多孔材料，含有孔径在2至50 nm之间的明确介孔通道。高表面积、有序结构、可调孔径和易于功能化使介孔二氧化硅粉末和薄膜成为广泛应用的有趣材料，包括药物输送、吸收、分离、催化、能量转换和存储。溶胶-凝胶法已成为合成纳米结构介孔二氧化硅材料的一种有前途的技术，因为它具有低温加工和合成参数易于控制的优点。尽管它比其他合成技术具有多种优点，但它也具有对加工条件高度敏感的缺点。因此，本文旨在对溶胶-凝胶过程、溶胶-凝胶二氧化硅的化学、介孔性的形成机制以及反应参数的影响提供重要的见解。充分了解这些现象对于更好地控制和优化最终材料的性能以满足特定需求和应用至关重要。此外，本文讨论了用于合成纳米结构有序介孔薄膜二氧化硅的不同方法，包括电化学辅助自组装合成方法。 EASA 方法是一种新颖且有前途的技术，用于合成质量传输应用所需的有序且垂直排列的介孔薄膜孔道。此外，详细阐述了溶胶成分、pH、施加电位和沉积时间对薄膜最终厚度的影响。此外，这次全面审查强调了该领域未来研究和开发的潜力和机会，以进一步推进和充分利用其潜在优势。