Size Controlling Preparation,Adsorption and Catalytic Properties of Silica Microspheres

The size-controlled silica microspheres were prepared by a facile method and the growth mechanism was simply studied. The as-prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The CO₂ adsorption behaviors and methane catalytic oxidation were also measured. The results show that the as-prepared silica is perfect sphere, and the particle size can be controlled by adding tartaric acid. Spherical silica and sphere/tube(rod)-shaped silica were obtained by adjusting reaction time. Silica microspheres with uniform size exhibit high capacity of CO₂ adsorption, while others with wide size-distribution exhibit excellent catalytic performance, suggesting it is an effective method by regulating size to utilize its advantages selectively. Therefore, it will be an ideal strategy to develop the efficient multifunctional materials by a facile route.