Mesoporous Silicia Nanowires by Space-Confined Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Self-Assembly

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/990221· OSTI ID:990221

Lai, Peng ^[1]

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1. ORNL

This research focuses on the space-confined self-assembly of P123-silica hybrid solution inside nano-scale channels. Mesoporous silica nanowires with various diameters (10-400nm) were synthesized via sol-gel combined evaporation-induced self-assembly in channels of both anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) and etched polycarbonate (EPC) substrate. Scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) was utilized to characterize the samples in terms of nanopore size, ordering, and orientation. The mesoporous structures of silica wires formed in EPC channels with diameter less than 400 nm are investigated and reported for the first time. Substrate effect (EPC vs. AAO) and processing condition effect on the morphology of the mesoporous structure of silica wires are presented and discussed. The more ordered and uniform mesoporous structure is preferentially formed in narrower substrate channel confinement. A critical diameter of hard template channels is around 30-50 nm, below which the space confinement effect leads to more uniform nanostructured nanowires, and above which mixed meso-structures usually exist. The formation of various meso-structures of silica wires is sensitive to process conditions.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 990221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
EVAPORATION
MORPHOLOGY
ORIENTATION
PORE STRUCTURE
QUANTUM WIRES
SILICA
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SUBSTRATES
SYNTHESIS