Poly(ethylene oxide)—poly(propylene oxide)—poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) was reacted with iron ethoxide in a molar ratio of 1:2. This modified surfactant was used as a template for the synthesis of mesostructured, nanocomposite iron oxide-silica films and powders. Grazing incidence (GI)-SAXS measurements of the films showed that depending on the concentration of the surfactant wormhole-like, 2d-centered rectangular, orthorhombic and lamellar nanocomposite structures were formed. Interestingly, the mesoscopic ordering of the orthorhombic and 2d-centered rectangular pore structure is retained even after calcination at 1000 °C for one hour. The influence of heat treatment on the mesostructure was investigated by GI-SAXS, TEM and N2-sorption measurements.
