Structural features of ZnxOy/nanosilica composites

Abstract Nanocomposites with nanosilica A380 (SBET = 378 m2/g) and grafted ZnO or/and zinc silicate were prepared using zinc acetate adsorbed onto nanosilica and then treated at 600–900 °C. The samples studied using a variety of methods demonstrated the dependences of the textural and structural characteristics and phase transformations on the amounts of adsorbed precursor and treatment conditions. Thermodestruction of zinc acetate Zn(ac)2 at 600 °C results in the formation of ZnO which is amorphous according to XRD data. However, HRTEM images show the presence of a small amount of ZnO crystallites of 2–5 nm in size. A portion of surface silanols interacts with adsorbed Zn-containing compounds to form Si O Zn bonds, a number of which increases with increasing Zn(ac)2 content and heating temperature. Heating at 800–900 °C leads to transformation of ZnO and other structures into crystalline zinc silicate β-Zn2SiO4 with larger particles more strongly packed in aggregates. The specific surface area of the composites decreases with increasing zinc content and heating temperature.