Two-dimensional silica sieve plates mimicking the diatom valve.

ABSTRACT

Sieve and take A biomimetic strategy was designed to fabricate two-dimensional silica sieve plates (SSP) by use of catanionic surfactants as composite template and L-tartrate with hydroxyl and carboxyl groups as regulator. Tartrate was found to combine two capabilities in the formation of SSP structures the connection of adjacent silica structures through H bonding and the separation of adjacent structures through electrostatic repulsion.