Abstract
Since their discovery in the early 1990s, mesoporous silica materials have captured the attention of researchers worldwide because of their unique properties as well as their potential applications in catalysis, drug delivery, chromatography, separations, environmental remediation, and nanoelectronics. Their properties and applications are largely dependent on their nanoporous structures and high surface areas, which allow the materials to support or carry various functional groups (e.g., drug molecules). Furthermore, their properties can easily be tailored, as needed, by a simple modification of their surfaces with various functional groups. In this chapter, a brief historical background on mesoporous materials and the major synthetic methods used to make various mesoporous materials with different structures are discussed. Several notable mesoporous materials and their fundamental properties and potential applications in areas including catalysis, drug delivery, nanomedicine, and nanoelectronics are also included. Some of the unique advantages of these materials for various applications are highlighted by presenting some examples, such as stimuli-responsive, and on demand delivery of anticancer drugs to targeted cells. Finally, conclusions and the authors’ perspectives on where the field of mesoporous materials currently stands and what more may have to be done to fully utilize these materials in various commercial products are discussed.