Boron

Nucleation

Computer science

Etching (microfabrication)

Catalysis

Silicon

Interconnection

Optoelectronics

Biochemistry

Telecommunications

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Layer (electronics)

Doping

Chemistry

Materials science

Mesoporous material

National Science Review

Despite desirable progress in various assembly tactics, the main drawback associated with current assemblies is the weak interparticle connections limited by their assembling protocols. Herein, we report a novel boron doping-induced interconnection-assembly approach for fabricating an unprecedented assembly of mesoporous silicon oxycarbide nanospheres, which are derived from periodic mesoporous organosilicas. The as-prepared architecture is composed of interconnected, strongly coupled nanospheres with coarse surfaces. Significantly, through delicate analysis of the as-formed boron doped species, a novel melt-etching and nucleation-growth mechanism is proposed, which offers a new horizon for the developing interconnected assembling technique. Furthermore, such unique strategy shows precise controllability and versatility, endowing the architecture with tunable interconnection size, surface roughness and switchable primary nanoparticles. Impressively, this interconnected assembly along with tunable surface roug...

Boron doping-induced interconnected assembly approach for mesoporous silicon oxycarbide architecture