Mesoporous Metal Oxides as Catalysts: Design, Properties, and Performance

Abstract Mesoporous metal oxides (MMOs) are a versatile class of inorganic materials, distinguished by tunable pore sizes (2–50 nm) and high surface areas, which impart exceptional performance in catalysis, energy storage, and sensing applications. This review examines the synthesis and properties of key mesoporous metal oxides (MMOs), including silica, zirconium oxide, cobalt oxide, titanium oxide, and ceria, highlighting how different fabrication strategies influence structure and function. Both template-assisted strategies using soft or hard templates to direct pore formation and template-free approaches are discussed, alongside synthesis methods such as sol-gel, hydrothermal, evaporation-induced self-assembly, chemical vapor deposition, and microwave-assisted techniques. Critical factors affecting material performance, including surfactant concentration, block length, and post-synthetic treatments like calcination, are analyzed for their impact on mesoporosity, crystallinity, and thermal stability. MMOs have demonstrated remarkable functionality in oxidation reactions, photocatalysis, catalysis, gas sensing, and energy storage. Looking forward, developing scalable, cost-effective synthesis routes and hybrid systems combining MMOs with conductive materials or 2D nanomaterials will be essential for advancing next-generation environmental, energy, and sensing technologies.