Versatile Interfacial Engineering of Core–Shell Mesoporous Nanomaterials: Programmable Assembly, Functional Integration, and Diverse Applications

Abstract Integrating diverse building blocks into functional materials with tailored architectures and properties has emerged as an efficient strategy to address the demands of multifunctional applications, and core–shell mesoporous materials (CSMMs) enable the modular integration of functional components and the structural optimization of mass transfer. Enabled by multi-interface nanoassembly strategies, diverse CSMMs have been engineered and sparked intense interdisciplinary interest owing to their distinctive features, including multicomponent synergistic effects, interfacial coupling effects, and rationally designed heterogeneous architectures. Herein, this review systematically introduces the concept of “micellar coating chemistry” and summarizes current assembly strategies for the tailored synthesis of CSMMs. The rational design of structure (e.g. surface roughness, cavity, pore size, and porosity) and composition (e.g. magnetic-, noble metal-, silica-, polymer-, and carbon-based components) are highlighted. Furthermore, functionality integration (e.g. nanoparticle loading, hybridization, and surface functionalization) is also evaluated and summarized, and the diverse applications of these materials in hot fields, such as catalysis, gas sensing, environmental remediation, biomedicine, energy storage and conversion, are critically assessed and compared. This review outlines future research opportunities and challenges, and establishes a conceptual foundation for the rational design, scalable synthesis, and versatile interdisciplinary applications of CSMMs.