Synthesis and new structure shaping mechanism of silica particles formed at high pH
- Department of Chemistry, The City College of The University of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031 (United States)
For the sol-gel synthesis of silica particles under high pH catalytic conditions (pH>12) in water/ethanol solvent, we have deduced that the competing dynamics of chemical etching and sol-gel process can explain the types of silica particles formed and their morphologies. We have demonstrated that emulsion droplets that are generated by adding tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to a water-ethanol solution serve as soft templates for hollow spherical silica (1-2 {mu}m). And if the emulsion is converted by the sol-gel process, one finds that suspended solid silica spheres of diameter of {approx}900 nm are formed. Moreover, several other factors are found to play fundamental roles in determining the final morphologies of silica particles, such as by variation of the pH (in our case, using OH{sup -}) to a level where condensation dominates; by changing the volume ratios of water/ethanol; and using an emulsifier (specifically, CTAB) - Graphical abstract: 'Local chemical etching' and sol-gel process have been proposed to interpret the control of morphologies of silica particles through varying initial pHs in syntheses. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Different initial pHs in our syntheses provides morphological control of silica particles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 'Local chemical etching' and sol-gel process describes the formation of silica spheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The formation of emulsions generates hollow silica particles.
- OSTI ID:
- 22149861
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 194; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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