Inside Front Cover: Topological Transformation of Vesicular Mesostructured Silica (Adv. Mater. 5/2005)

The micrometer-scale self-assembly behavior of MCM-41-type mesostructured silica is shown by Tang and co-workers on p. 578 through study of a family of vesicular mesostructured silica with topology genera from 1 to 0. The inside cover shows a series of typical vesicular structures with different topologies on the micrometer scale. A better understanding of the micrometer-scale self-assembly behavior provides a guide for the rational design of new hierarchical organic–inorganic composite materials, and may also shed new light on the natural biosilicification process.