A Step-Growth Model for Molecular Mechanisms of Monolayer Formation in Ordered Nanoporous Channels

The work describes the direct evidence of a new step-growth mechanism in which the silane molecules are first deposited in the wide region of the mesoporous surface. When the wide pore region is filled, the silane molecules begin to deposit in the narrow pore region. The pore size in the wide region and narrow region change alternatively and discretely in accordance with the stepgrowth mechanism and the molecular size of the silane.