10.1021/la070154t.s001 Giung-Ling Lin Giung-Ling Lin Yi-Hua Tsai Yi-Hua Tsai Hong-Ping Lin Hong-Ping Lin Chih-Yuan Tang Chih-Yuan Tang Ching-Yen Lin Ching-Yen Lin Synthesis of Mesoporous Silica Helical Fibers Using a Catanionic-Neutral Ternary Surfactant in a Highly Dilute Silica Solution:  Biomimetic Silicification American Chemical Society 2007 Mesoporous Silica Helical Fibers mesoporous carbon helical fibers helical fibers mesoporous silica helical fiber mesoporous silica helical fibers 2007-04-10 00:00:00 Journal contribution https://acs.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Synthesis_of_Mesoporous_Silica_Helical_Fibers_Using_a_Catanionic_Neutral_Ternary_Surfactant_in_a_Highly_Dilute_Silica_Solution_Biomimetic_Silicification/3013954 Mesoporous silica helical fibers in many different shapes have been synthesized in a highly dilute silicate solution at pH ∼2.0 by using C<i><sub>n</sub></i>TMAB-SDS-P123 (<i>n</i> = 14−18) ternary surfactant as a template. The mesoporous silica helical fibers possess a well-ordered hexagonal mesostructure, high surface area, and large pore volume. Thus, the microtome sections of the helical fibers demonstrate a concentric mesotructure or two hemiconcentric mesostructures. In addition to triblock copolymer, adding the proper amount of 1-butanol or pentanol can promote the yield of the helical fibers as well. The yield of the surfactant-templated helical fibers is also dependent on the water content, reaction temperature, and pH value of the solution. The mesoporous silica helical fiber can be used as a solid template to prepare mesoporous carbon helical fibers via impregnation of phenol-formaldehyde, pyrolysis, and silica removal.