Advanced selective optical sensors based on periodically organized mesoporous hybrid silica thin filmsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: UV–vis and FTIR spectra of β-diketones. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b4/b408869g/

Mesoporous thin films functionalized with silylated β-diketone compounds with symmetry mesostructure dependent on the probe quantity were used as fast uranyl species sensors with high selectivity and sensitivity.