Abstract
In the current paper, mesocrystals are used as effective precursors to design nanoreactors with different kinds of enclosed porosity. The thermal treatment of hematite mesocrystalline nanoparticles is investigated as a post-processing tool for the engineering of internal organization of hierarchical structures. The porosity of starting materials and of particles thermally treated at different temperatures is investigated by transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption and 360 degrees electron tomography. Virtual Capillary Condensation and Maximum Sphere Inscription are used as independent approaches for the quantitative assessment of internal porosity. The combination of experimental evidences and simulations provides a deep understanding of the internal topology of nanoreactors upon thermal treatment of mesocrystalline particles. This new design strategy may pave the way for exploring the use of the post treated mesocrystals as carriers to encapsulate materials for optoelectronic applications. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.