Monodispersed hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) with a controlled core cavity and a periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) shell are successfully synthesized using a dual templating approach. The PMO shell synthesized by the sol–gel route exhibits a hybrid organic-inorganic framework based on phenylene bridges. The HPMO spherical nanoparticles with a diameter above 500 nm were characterized using a multiscale approach through TEM, BET, SAXS, and FT-IR. They are shown to offer an open periodic mesoporosity, a hollow cavity with a size tailored by thediameter of the core template, and finally, a high surface area (833 m 2 · g−1 ). In addition, we demonstrate that, through the same approach, the size of these hollow spherical nanoparticles can be tuned. Indeed, sub-50-nm hollow nanoparticles with mesoporous shells have also been obtained. The differences observed in the textural properties of these two sizes of hollow mesoporous nano-objects are discussed.

Fundamental understanding of macroscopic properties of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) remains difficult due to the complex interplay of microscopic dynamics and structure, namely interfacial layer relaxations and three-dimensional nanoparticle arrangements. The effect of surface modification by alkyl methoxysilanes at different grafting densities has been studied in PNCs made of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and spherical 20 nm silica nanoparticles (NPs). The segmental dynamics has been probed by broadband dielectric spectroscopy, and the filler structure by small-angle X-ray scattering and reverse Monte Carlo simulations. By combining the particle configurations with the interfacial layer properties, it is shown how surface modification tunes the attractive polymer-particle interactions: bare NPs slow down the polymer interfacial layer dynamics over a thickness of ca. 5 nm, while grafting screens these interactions. Our analysis of interparticle spacing and segmental dynamics provides unprecedented insight into the effect of surface modification on the main characteristics of PNCs: particle interactions and polymer interfacial layers.

So as to investigate structure-activity relationships in hydrogen bonded liquid crystals, a new short-chained (7 carbon atoms) fluorinated hydrogen-bonded liquid crystal 4-heptyloxy-2-fluorobenzoic acid, 7OBAF, is prepared. Differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction disclose a phase sequence as two crystalline, a nematic and the isotropic phases. Dielectric spectroscopy of the nematic phase in the frequency range of 1 Hz–6 MHz reveals a low frequency mode ascribed to ferroelectric clusters. A high polarization is induced by an external electric field, in agreement with results of dielectric measurements. Such polarization increases as the alkyl chain length is shorter. Results of DFT calculations using the Maier–Meier relationship are consistent with the dielectric measurements; they reveal the parallel molecular distribution and provide the dipole moment, polarization anisotropy, birefringence and dielectric anisotropy. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds linking the fluorine substituent and the aromatic hydrogen atoms are also disclosed.