Mesoporous Silica Fibers: Synthesis, Internal Structure, and Growth Kinetics

The influence of the silica source on the morphology and the internal architecture of mesoporous fibers was investigated. It was found in all cases studied that the hexagonally packed pores are oriented in a circular manner around the fiber axis. However, the kinetics of fiber formation and the product distribution vary, being strongly dependent on the silica source and the amount of an additional oil. Electron microscopy and XRD investigations were carried out to elucidate the morphological and structural features of the mesoporous silica materials. The properties of the materials on the nanometer and micrometer scale are shown to depend on the silica precursor hydrolysis rate and micelle swelling effects. The experiments also revealed that gravity plays no essential role in the growth of the fibers.