Surface Properties and Porosity of Silica Particles Studied by Wide-Angle Soft X-ray Scattering

Wide-angle soft X-ray scattering on free silica particles of different porosity prepared in a beam is reported. The explored q region is mostly dominated by features due to surface roughness and bulk porosity. A comprehensive experimental and theoretical analysis of silica particles of different porosity is presented for various incident photon energies. A correlation analysis, based on the theory of Porod, is used to test the validity of exact Mie theory in different pore density limits. The ability of the discrete dipole scattering model (DDSCAT) to resolve local effects, caused by various pore distributions, is discussed. Characteristic differences between the soft X-ray scattering patterns of the particle samples of different surface properties and porosity are detected. For all mentioned cases, it was confirmed that the effective radius concept of the Guinier model can be successfully extended to Mie theory and DDSCAT in describing the additive contributions of the primary particles, including a thin inhomogeneous solvent-rich surface shell and empty bulk pores. Close agreement, within +/- 15%, between the calculated and observed pore sizes and porosity values is reached. The influence of pores is alternatively described either in terms of secondary Mie scattering, which is modulated by the local internal electrical field within the particles, or by an independent Mie scattering process induced by the incident field on isolated pores. It is found that for the typical pore/particle size ratios the latter approach presents the best choice.