In Situ Formation of Particulate Silica in Natural Rubber Matrix by the Sol-Gel Reaction

The sol-gel reaction of tetraethoxysilane was conducted in natural rubber (NR) matrix to obtain NR/in situ silica mixtures. In other words, in situ filling of silica onto NR was conducted. The mixtures were compounded with curing regents, and their viscosities were evaluated. The in situ silica with a coupling agent afforded the lowest viscosity compared not only with a conventional silica (VN-3) but also with a carbon black (HAF). The curing behaviors were most favorable for in situ silica compound. Physical properties of the vulcanizates were also evaluated, and again in situ silica stock gave the best result.     

Titania-Doped Silica Fibers Prepared by Electrospinning and Sol-Gel Process

Titania-doped silica fibers were prepared by electrospinning of the sol of silica containing titania. The electrospun fibers had ribbon type morphology. The fibers had significant quantities of hydroxyl groups of Si—OH and Ti—OH. The fibers did not have crystalline structure. Diameters of the fibers were reduced by solvent evaporation and calcination. The hydroxyl groups on the fibers disappeared by calcination. The hydroxyl groups, M—OH (MSi, Ti) were changed to M—O—M by intermolecular and intramolecular condensation reactions.     

Encapsulation of Organic Pigment Particles with Silica via Sol-Gel Process

This paper presented a novel preparation method of silica coated organic pigment. In this approach, the surfaces of the organic pigment were first orderly modified by poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), then coated by silica via sol-gel process of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). The results showed that PVP, pH value, water and TEOS contents had significant influence on the morphology of the silica encapsulated organic pigment. Organic pigments coated silica by this approach could scatter UV ray with wavelength less than 270 nm, and this scattering property increased with more silica coated.     

Scratch-Resistant Improvement of Sol-Gel Derived Nano-Porous Silica Films

Scratch-resistance of sol-gel derived nano porous silica films were studied. The thin films were prepared with a dip-coating method from both one-step and two-step catalyzed silica sols, and treated in a mixture gas of ammonia and water vapour afterwards. The thin films were characterized by using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), ellipsometer, Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscope (FTIR), respectively. Experimental results have shown that the two-step catalysis remarkably improves strength of the films, and abrasion-resistance and adhesion of the silica films were further increased after the mixture gas treatment. It is attributed to the cross-linking of silica particles in the sols by randomly branched or/and entangled linear chains and more Si–O–Si bonds formed by the mixture gas treatment.     

Characterization of the Sol-Gel Process Using Raman Spectroscopy Organically Modified Silica Gels Prepared Via the Formic Acid-Alkoxide Route

For precursor mixtures containing tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTREOS), time of gelation can be reduced by up to two orders of magnitude depending on reaction conditions employed when reacting the silicon alkoxide mixture with formic acid instead of water. Results indicate that time of gelation depends on the amount of PhTREOS in the precursor mixture. Within the range of concentrations investigated, an exponential law describes best the dependence of reduced time of gelation on the molar fraction of PhTREOS. Therefore, we conclude that the phenyl ring acts as a steric hindrance to network formation. Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize the reaction between the alkoxide mixture and formic acid. During the acidolysis reaction, ethanol is formed as an intermediate. A preliminary reaction scheme is proposed to account for the time dependence of species involved. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy is successfully employed to monitor the effects of post-gelation thermal treatment of the gel samples. The effects observed are interpreted with a model of a phenyl ring trapped in a siloxane cage.     

Sol-Gel Preparation of Silica Films with Controlled Surface Morphology and Their Application to a Low Reflective Glass

Silica coating films with various surface morphologies, such as flat, porous (with deep pores), concave-convex (with hills and valleys), and convex (with hills on flat plane) structure were prepared from a mixture of two kinds of sols derived from polymerized tetraethoxy-silane (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES). Different surface morphologies were obtained by varying the molar ratio r = MTES/TEOS of the coating solution. The surface was flat for r less than 2.5, porous for 2.5 r < 5, concave-convex for 5 r < 7.5, convex for 7.5 r < 13, and again flat for r larger than 13. For 2.5 r < 5, the apparent refractive index of the silica film with porous morphology was decreased to 1.23 by selecting the solvent and by controlling the relative humidity of the coating atmosphere and the heat treatment temperature. Coating of glass with silica films of low refractive index of 1.23 led to the low reflective glasses with visible light reflectance Rvis of less than 0.2%.     

Synthesis of Silica Aerogels: Influence of the Supercritical CO2 on the Sol-Gel Process

The synthesis of silica aerogels was modified by addition of supercritical CO₂ during the sol-gel process. It was shown, that CO₂ acts as a catalyst and accelerates the gelation significantly. This effect was studied under a multitude of experimental conditions. The influence of the precursor concentration, temperature and the nature of the catalysts and solvent on the gel formation in presence of CO₂ was studied. Several gels obtained by this method were dried and transparent silica aerogels were produced.     

Characterization of Porous Nanocomposites Formed by Cobalt Ferrites Dispersed in Sol-Gel Silica Matrix

Composites of cobalt ferrite particles dispersed in a silica matrix (CoFe₂O₄/SiO₂) were prepared by the sol-gel process using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor of silica and metallic nitrates as precursors of ferrite. Samples of SiO₂ and CoFe₂O₄/SiO₂ were prepared in monolithic shape, dried at 110^∘C, treated at various temperatures and their characteristics were compared. After the thermal treatment, the surface area of the silica matrix decreased, above 700^∘C it densified, and above 1100^∘C it crystallized. The same heat treatment in the composite led to the crystallization of CoFe₂O₄ particles in the SiO₂ matrix and the increase in particle size, with the consequent increase in magnetization. The presence of particles in the matrix reinforced its structure, avoiding large changes in surface area and porosity and in the structure of the matrix after high temperature thermal treatment.     

Removal of Zinc Ions by Sol-Gel Silica Doped with Cibacron Blue

Chemically doped sol-gel silica has been developed by entrapping organic dye cibacron blue as a complexing reagent in porous silica prepared by the sol-gel method for removal of metal ions from water samples. In the doped sol-gel silica, the large reagent molecules are entrapped inside the pores while small metal ions can diffuse into the pores where they are complexed by the reagent and retained inside the pores. This new solid sorbent was tested for removal of Zn(II) from aqueous solutions. The kinetics, isotherm, and pH effect of the removal were investigated. With a loading of 0.10 mmol cibacron blue/g, the sol-gel silica sorbent had a capacity of 0.09 mmol Zn/g. It was demonstrated that the sol-gel silica sorbent could be regenerated and reused repeatedly.     

Atomistic Modeling of Silica Based Sol-Gel Processes

Density Functional Theory is used to study water, methanol, ethanol, TMOS, and TEOS molecules and the most important silica clusters participating in sol-gel processes. Calculated bond lengths, bond angles and electric dipole moments compare well with experimental data. The energy of these molecules is reported and used to discuss the energetics of the hydrolysis and condensation reactions. Molecular Dynamics is employed to simulate liquid water, methanol, ethanol, TMOS, TEOS and experimental sol-gel solutions. Calculated densities and enthalpies of vaporisation compare well with experimental data. Preliminary results are presented for MD simulations of sol-gel solutions.     

SiO2纳米粒子对溶胶凝胶涂层性能的影响

在高强钢表面制备了防护性溶胶凝胶涂层,并研究了不同浓度二氧化硅纳米粒子的加入对于涂层形貌、耐蚀性和硬度的影响。采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和电子能谱(EDS)观察了涂层的微观结构和成分;采用显微硬度计测试了涂层的硬度;采用电化学方法研究了二氧化硅纳米粒子的浓度对于涂层耐蚀性能的影响;采用傅里叶红外光谱研究涂层的化学结构,进而探讨了二氧化硅纳米粒子对于涂层的强化机理。结果显示涂层加入二氧化硅纳米粒子的最佳浓度为500 mg.L-1,此条件下的涂层表面均匀致密,有较高的硬度并且在3.5%NaCl溶液中体现出较好的耐蚀作用。纳米粒子在溶胶中反应形成活性羟基基团并与硅烷发生反应生成空间网状结构,从而强化涂层。     

Encapsulation of Water-Soluble Dye in Spherical Sol-Gel Silica Matrices

The water-soluble, Lithol rubine B, dye was encapsulated into silica microspheres matrices. Encapsulation has been carried out by sol-gel process of W/O microemulsions formed from sodium silicate and dye aqueous solution in cyclohexane medium. The average particle size could be tailored from 1–10 m, depending on the processing parameter such as homogenizing speed in the formation of W/O emulsion, the weight ratio of water to oil, and concentration of sodium silicate solution, etc. The pore size of dye-doped silica microspheres was measured by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The leaching behavior of dye entrapped in silica matrices was investigated by UV/VIS and UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the extract and solid powders after immersion for 24 h in water. The doping of GPTS (3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane) in sodium silicate and dye mixture solution greatly enhanced the stability against leaching of the dye. It was ascribed that GPTS serves simultaneously as an intermediate for the chemical bonding between the dye and silica, and as an agent for the formation of hybrid sol responsible for the shrinkage of pore size.     

Organosilsesquioxane Particles Prepared by Controlled Sol-Gel Process or Heterocondensation with Colloidal Silica Particles: A Novel Route Towards Nanoporous Silica Particles by a Templating Effect

Hybrid organic-inorganic particles containing labile organic templates have been prepared by either controlled Sol-Gel processing or co-condensation of colloidal silica particles with organosilicon precursors. Chemical removal of the templating organic spacer led to monomodal, microstructured porous silica particles exhibiting up to 50% porosity. Particle size and distribution, and porosity varied depending upon the process and the chemistry used to remove the porogen organic groups.     

Influence of Sol-Gel Synthesis Parameters on the Microstructure of Particulate Silica Xerogels

The influence of key sol-gel synthesis parameters on the pore structure of microporous silica xerogels was investigated. The silica xerogels were prepared using an acid-catalyzed aqueous sol-gel process, with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the silicon-containing precursor. At high H2O : TEOS ratios, sols synthesized at pH 2–3 yielded minimum values of mean micropore diameter and micropore volume. Analysis of the resulting Type I nitrogen adsorption isotherms and the equilibrium adsorption of N(C4F9)3 indicated micropore diameters for these xerogels of less than approximately 10 Å.Xerogel micropore volumes corresponding to sols prepared at pH 3 and an H2O : TEOS ratio of r = 83 were consistent with nearly close packing of silica spheres in the xerogel. Xerogel microstructure was only weakly dependent upon H2O : TEOS ratio during sol synthesis for r > 10. Xerogel micropore volume increased rapidly with sol aging time during an initial induction period of particle formation. However, the xerogel microstructure changed only slowly with time after this initial period, suggesting potential processing advantages for the particulate sol-gel route to porous silica materials.Surface adsorption properties of the silica xerogels were investigated at ambient temperature using N2, SF6, and CO2. CO2 adsorbed most strongly, SF6 also showed measurable adsorption, and N2 adsorption was nearly zero. These results were consistent with the surface transport of CO2, and to a lesser extent SF6, observed in gas permeation studies performed through thin membrane films cast from similarly prepared silica sols.     

溶胶凝胶法制备超疏水二氧化硅涂膜及其表面润湿行为

采用溶胶-凝胶法以正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)和甲基三乙氧基硅烷(MTES)为前驱体制备超疏水SiO2涂层。红外光谱(FTIR)和热重分析(TGA)表征合成SiO2的化学组成,通过透射电镜(TEM)和扫描电镜(TEM)观察制备SiO2的结构形貌,扫描电镜(SEM)和原子力显微镜(AFM)观察SiO2涂膜的表面形貌,通过测试水接触角(WCA)讨论SiO2涂层的表面微观结构与其表面疏水性能的关系。结果表明以TEOS和MTES为共前驱体可以制备得到表面带-CH3基团的SiO2溶胶,SiO2溶胶在老化过程中纳米SiO2粒子由于自组装作用形成草莓状微米-纳米双微观结构,这种结构赋予SiO2涂膜表面不同等级的粗糙度,使得水滴与涂膜表面接触时能够形成高的空气捕捉率和较小的粗糙度因子,与SiO2表面疏水性的-CH3基团共同作用形成类荷叶超疏水结构。     

疏水性对溶胶-凝胶SiO2薄膜抗真空污染及抗激光损伤能力的影响

以正硅酸乙酯作为前驱体,利用碱催化方式制备了SiO2溶胶,通过在溶胶中添加含疏水基团(-CH3)的六甲基二硅氮烷(HMDS)对溶胶进行改性,使用添加不同物质的量比HMDS改性后的溶胶用提拉法在K9基片上镀膜,获得了具有疏水性能的SiO2薄膜。采用自制接触角测量仪、紫外-可见-近红外分光光度计研究了薄膜的水接触角和透过率。测试了薄膜的激光损伤阈值,并观察了激光辐照后薄膜的损伤形貌。通过真空污染实验对薄膜的抗污染能力及抗激光损伤能力进行了研究。实验结果表明:经疏水改性的溶胶所镀制的薄膜激光损伤阈值由未改性样品的24.3 J·cm-2增加到37 J·cm-2(1 064 nm,10 ns),且抗真空污染能力大大加强:在真空环境下保存168 h后,未改性样品的峰值透过率下降了2%,而疏水改性后的样品峰值透过率仅下降了0.25%,并保持了较高的激光损伤阈值(30.8 J·cm-2)。     

疏水性对溶胶-凝胶SiO2薄膜抗真空污染及抗激光损伤能力的影响

以正硅酸乙酯作为前驱体, 利用碱催化方式制备了SiO₂溶胶, 通过在溶胶中添加含疏水基团(-CH₃)的六甲基二硅氮烷(HMDS)对溶胶进行改性, 使用添加不同物质的量比HMDS改性后的溶胶用提拉法在K9基片上镀膜, 获得了具有疏水性能的SiO₂薄膜。采用自制接触角测量仪、紫外-可见-近红外分光光度计研究了薄膜的水接触角和透过率。测试了薄膜的激光损伤阈值, 并观察了激光辐照后薄膜的损伤形貌。通过真空污染实验对薄膜的抗污染能力及抗激光损伤能力进行了研究。实验结果表明:经疏水改性的溶胶所镀制的薄膜激光损伤阈值由未改性样品的24.3 J·cm^-2增加到37 J·cm^-2(1 064 nm, 10 ns), 且抗真空污染能力大大加强:在真空环境下保存168 h后, 未改性样品的峰值透过率下降了2%, 而疏水改性后的样品峰值透过率仅下降了0.25%, 并保持了较高的激光损伤阈值(30.8 J·cm^-2)。     

碱/酸两步催化法制备耐候性SiO2增透膜的研究

以正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为先驱体,采用碱/酸两步催化溶胶-凝胶法制备出一种兼具碱催化增透膜的高透过率和酸催化增透膜的良好耐摩擦性能的优点的SiO2增透膜。对酸碱催化SiO2相对比例及酸催化时水含量的系统研究表明,当酸催化SiO2的含量为50%时,增透膜综合性能最好,即具有高透过率和高耐摩擦性;当nH2O/nHCl=1∶0.0010时,增透膜的透过率最高。碱/酸两步催化法制备的增透膜与水的接触角仅为11.3°,本文进一步用六甲基二硅氧烷(HMDS)对增透膜表面进行了修饰,修饰后增透膜的接触角提高至52.5°,增透膜的疏水性及环境稳定性得到较大的提高。     

Nanorods of Various Oxides and Hierarchically Structured Mesoporous Silica by Sol-Gel Electrophoresis

In this paper, we report the template-based growth of nanorods of oxides and hierarchically structured mesoporous silica, formed by means of a combination of sol-gel processing and electrophoretic deposition. Both single metal oxides (TiO₂) and complex oxides (Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃) have been grown by this method. This method has also been applied to the growth of nanorods of mesoporous silica having an ordered pore structure, where the pores are aligned parallel to the long axis of the nanorod. Uniformly sized nanorods of about 125–200 nm in diameter and 10 m in length were grown over large areas with near unidirectional alignment. Appropriate sol preparation yielded the desired stoichiometric chemical composition and crystal structure of the oxide nanorods, with a heat treatment (500–700°C for 15–30 min) for crystallization, densification and any necessary pyrolysis.     

Fractal Characterization of Silica Sol Prepared by the Sol-Gel Method: From the Sol Formation to the Flocculation Process

The fractal characterization of silica particles prepared by the sol-gel method was obtained; from the beginning of the sol-gel synthesis to the aggregation process of these particles by adding metal ions in solution, the fractal dimension was determined. At the beginning of the sol-gel process, unstable structures were formed due, essentially, to the auto-catalytic nature of the sol-gel condensation reactions; these particles are fractal structures with a fractal exponent corresponding to a reaction limited aggregation regime. As the time proceeds, the reactants are consumed approaching the system to equilibrium, stabilizing the size of the silica particles. The silica sol can be flocculated by adding metal ions in solution. The fractal exponent for the aggregation process was determined, obtaining a value corresponding to a diffusion limited aggregation regime.