Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science 2001, 5, 553-564
Colloidal Crystal Templating of Three-Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Solids—Materials for Photonics and Beyond
Andreas Stein*, Rick C. Schroden
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, U. S. A.
This review discusses strategies for the synthesis of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) solids (inverse opals) by colloidal crystal templating. Compositions of 3DOM structures include simple and ternary oxides, chalcogenides, non-metallic and metallic elements, hybrid organo-silicates, and polymers. A wide range of 3DOM synthesis techniques, including sol-gel chemistry, polymerization, salt-precipitation and chemical conversion, chemical vapor deposition, spray pyrolysis, ion spraying, laser spraying, nanocrystal deposition and sintering, oxide and salt reduction, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, fabrication from core-shell spheres, and patterning methods, as well as templating using inverse opal molds to produce new opal compositions are reviewed. Potential uses of 3DOM solids, including photonic crystal, optical, catalytic, and bioglass applications are briefly discussed.