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The present invention describes a composition and a method for producing mesoporous silica materials with a chiral organization. In the method, a polymerizable inorganic monomer is reacted in the presence of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to give a material of inorganic solid with cellulose nanocry

The present invention describes a composition and a method for producing mesoporous silica materials with a chiral organization. In the method, a polymerizable inorganic monomer is reacted in the presence of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to give a material of inorganic solid with cellulose nanocrystallites embedded in a chiral nematic organization. The NCC can be removed to give a stable porous structure that retains the chiral organization of the NCC template. The new materials may be obtained as iridescent free-standing films with high surface area. Through control of the reaction conditions, the color of the films can be varied across the entire visible spectrum. These are the first materials to combine mesoporosity with long-range chiral ordering that leads to photonic properties. Examples of possible applications of the materials are: lightweight reinforcement materials, low k dielectric materials, tunable reflective filters, adsorbents, stationary phases for chromatography of chiral or achiral substances, supports for catalysts (e.g., for asymmetric synthetic transformations), and as a template to generate other new porous materials (e.g., porous carbon or porous metals), preferably with chiral nematic structures.

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1. A process of preparing a mesoporous siliceous material having chirality in a chiral nematic order, comprising: a) reacting a siliceous precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of siliceous material and NCC,b) casting said mixture,c) removing

1. A process of preparing a mesoporous siliceous material having chirality in a chiral nematic order, comprising: a) reacting a siliceous precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of siliceous material and NCC,b) casting said mixture,c) removing water from the cast mixture to produce a composite of NCC in a siliceous material matrix, said composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order, andd) removing said NCC from said composite while maintaining the integrity of the siliceous material matrix. 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said siliceous precursor is a hydolysable silicon precursor and said reacting in a) comprises hydrolysing the hydolysable silicon precursor in said suspension to form an aqueous mixture of silica and NCC, said matrix in c) and d) being a silica matrix. 3. A process according to claim 2, wherein said hydolysing is at a pH in a range above 2 up to 7. 4. A process according to claim 3, wherein said pH is 2.4 to 4. 5. A process according to claim 2, wherein said hydolysable silicon precursor is tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) or tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS). 6. A process according to claim 5, wherein said siliceous precursor is bis(triethoxysilyl)methane, and said reacting in a) comprises polymerizing said bis(triethoxysilyl)methane. 7. A process according to claim 1, wherein said casting of said mixture in b) comprises forming a cast film of the mixture. 8. A process according to claim 1, wherein said removing in c) comprises evaporating water from said cast mixture. 9. A process according to claim 1, wherein said removing in d) comprises calcining said composite. 10. A process according to claim 1, wherein said aqueous suspension has a concentration of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) of about 1-10 wt. %. 11. A mesoporous siliceous material having chiral nematic order. 12. A mesoporous siliceous material according to claim 11, wherein said siliceous material is silica. 13. A mesoporous silica according to claim 12, having a surface area ranging from ˜750-300 m2/g. 14. A mesoporous silica according to claim 12, characterized in that the silica reversibly adsorbs water to become transparent and colourless. 15. A process of preparing a chiral silicious composite having chiral nematic order, comprising: a) reacting a siliceous precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of siliceous material and NCC,b) casting said mixture, andc) removing water from the cast mixture to produce a composite of NCC in a siliceous material matrix, said composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order. 16. A process according to claim 15, wherein step a) comprises hydrolysing a hydolysable silicon precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of silica and NCC, and step c) comprises removing water from the cast mixture to produce a composite of NCC in a silica matrix, said composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order. 17. A process according to claim 16, wherein said hydolysing is at a pH in a range above 2 up to 7. 18. A process according to claim 17, wherein said pH is 2.4 to 4. 19. A process according to claim 16, wherein said hydolysable silicon precursor is tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) or tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS). 20. A process according to claim 15, wherein said siliceous precursor is bis(triethoxysilyl)methane, and said reacting in a) comprises polymerizing said bis(triethoxysilyl)methane. 21. A process according to claim 15, wherein said casting of said mixture in b) comprises forming a cast film of the mixture. 22. A process according to claim 15, wherein said removing in c) comprises evaporating water from said cast mixture. 23. A process according to claim 15, wherein said aqueous suspension has a concentration of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) of about 1-10 wt. %. 24. A chiral siliceous composite comprising a matrix of siliceous material having nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) embedded therein in a chiral nematic order. 25. A chiral siliceous composite according to claim 24, wherein said siliceous material is silica. 26. A process of preparing a mesoporous inorganic material having chirality in a chiral nematic order, comprising: a) reacting an inorganic precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of inorganic material and NCC,b) casting said mixture,c) removing water from the cast mixture to produce a composite of NCC in an inorganic material matrix, said composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order, andd) removing said NCC from said composite while maintaining the integrity of the inorganic material matrix. 27. A process according to claim 26, wherein said inorganic material is an oxide of silicon, tin or germanium. 28. A mesoporous inorganic material having chirality in a chiral nematic order, wherein said inorganic material is an oxide of silicon, tin or germanium. 29. A process of preparing a chiral inorganic/organic composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order, comprising: a) reacting an inorganic precursor in an aqueous suspension of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) to form an aqueous mixture of inorganic material and NCC,b) casting said mixture, andc) removing water from the cast mixture to produce a composite of NCC in an inorganic material matrix, said composite having chirality in a chiral nematic order. 30. A process according to claim 29, wherein said inorganic material is an oxide of silicon, tin or germanium. 31. A chiral inorganic/organic composite comprising a matrix of inorganic material having nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) embedded therein in a chiral nematic order. 32. A composite according to claim 31, wherein said inorganic material is an oxide of silicon, tin or germanium. 33. A mesoporous material of claim 11, in the form of a self-supporting or free-standing film. 34. An article comprising a substrate having a coating thereon of a mesoporous material of claim 11.