Effect of gravity on the gelation of silica sols

被引:10
作者
Pienaar, Christine L.
Chiffoleau, Gwenael J. A.
Follens, Lana R. A.
Martens, Johan A.
Kirschhock, Christine E. A.
Steinberg, Theodore A.
机构
[1] Katholieke Univ Leuven, Ctr Surface Chem & Catalysis, B-3001 Louvain, Belgium
[2] Wendell Hull & Associates Inc, Las Cruces, NM 88005 USA
[3] Def Sci & Technol Org, Edinburgh, SA, Australia
[4] Queensland Univ Technol, Phenomena uGrav Lab, Sch Engn Syst, Fac Built Environm & Engn, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
关键词
D O I
10.1021/cm0527219
中图分类号
O64 [物理化学(理论化学)、化学物理学];
学科分类号
070304 ; 081704 ;
摘要
Acid-catalyzed silica polymerization was carried out under gravity conditions varied from 0.01g aboard a reduced gravity aircraft to 70g in a centrifuge. The silicate connectivity of the final xerogels was analyzed using solid state Si-29 NMR and the porosity using nitrogen adsorption. Gravity was found to have an important influence on the occurrence of intra- and intermolecular condensation reactions. Under reduced gravity buoyancy driven-free convection is limited and silica polymerization occurs in a diffusion-limited regime. Intramolecular condensations and densifications prevail and extended coils of cages are formed through cyclization reactions in the sol particles. In terrestrial and high-gravity conditions, bimolecular reactions compete more favorably with internal condensations. More open structures composed of chains and rings are formed. These flexible species delay the onset of gelation, leading to an increase in gelation time as the gravity level is increased. During the subsequent drying procedure, pore collapse changes the structure from meso- to microporous. The porosity of the finally obtained xerogels is mostly defined by the drying conditions of the gel, irrespective of the silicate connectivity.
引用
收藏
页码:660 / 664
页数:5
相关论文
共 35 条
[1]  
Brinker C.J., 1990, SOL GEL SCI
[2]   A COMPARISON OF THE MICROSTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF SILICA AEROGELS AND XEROGELS [J].
BUCKLEY, AM ;
GREENBLATT, M .
JOURNAL OF NON-CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS, 1992, 143 (01) :1-13
[3]   Computer modeling of nucleation, growth, and templating in hydrothermal synthesis [J].
Catlow, CRA ;
Coombes, DS ;
Pereira, JCG .
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 1998, 10 (11) :3249-3265
[4]  
Cyranoski D, 2000, NATURE, V408, P624, DOI 10.1038/35046299
[5]   Dependence of SiO2 gel structure on gelation conditions and sol reaction temperature as followed by FTIR and nitrogen adsorption measurements [J].
Dumas, RL ;
Tejedor-Tejedor, I ;
Anderson, MA .
JOURNAL OF POROUS MATERIALS, 1998, 5 (02) :95-101
[6]   THE SOL-GEL PROCESS [J].
HENCH, LL ;
WEST, JK .
CHEMICAL REVIEWS, 1990, 90 (01) :33-72
[7]   Making big money from small technology [J].
Hsiao, JC ;
Fong, K .
NATURE, 2004, 428 (6979) :218-220
[8]   Multifractal characteristics of silica xerogels gelated in various evaporation conditions [J].
Huang, WL ;
Cui, SH ;
Yuan, ZF ;
Liang, KM .
PHYSICA A-STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS, 2002, 312 (1-2) :70-78
[9]   Theories for the mechanism of the setting of silicic acid gels [J].
Hurd, CB .
CHEMICAL REVIEWS, 1938, 22 (03) :403-422
[10]   An approach to new glasses through phase separation [J].
Inoue, S ;
Makishima, A ;
Inoue, H ;
Soga, K ;
Konishi, T ;
Asano, T .
JOURNAL OF NON-CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS, 1999, 247 :1-8