Density, silica materials

The preparation of low-density silica materials by hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosih-cate in the presence of cationic surfactants, namely, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, was patented by Chiola et al. in 1969 [129]. However, the structural properties of these materials were not assessed. Di Renzo et al. [130] reported in 1997 that the patented preparation indeed results in the formation of mesoporous sihcas of the MCM-41 type, which were later rediscovered by researchers from Mobil Research and Development Corporation. 

The silica networks of mesoporous sihcas are terminated at the surfaces of the amorphous pore walls, thus resulting in terminal silanol groups on the walls. The density of the silanol groups of all mesoporous sihcas (1 to 3 nm 2) is somewhat lower than usually found for other typical silica materials (4 to 6 nm 2) [27], The specific surface areas of the different mesoporous silicas vary depending on their pore sizes, the thicknesses of their pore walls, and the density of their sihca networks. For some MCM-41- and MCM-48-type materials, surface areas of about 1000 to 1400 m2 g 1 have been reported. The surface areas of SBA-15-type materials can be > 600 m2 g 1 [27],... 

The incorporation of organofunctional groups on the silica surface may be effectuated during the synthesis of the silica material. The addition of organofunctional alkoxysilanes to the TEOS solution in the sol-gel process, produces functionalized silica gels. This procedure does not allow a careful control of the obtained surface morphology. Since the relative amounts of silane and TEOS is the only variable parameter, neither layer thickness, nor modification density can be precisely tuned. This results in an irreproducible functionalization of the surface. 

The general consensus is that mesoporous silica materials synthesized using surfactant templates can form by two distinct yet related reaction pathways. The first involves the hydrolytic poly-condensation of a silicatropic mesophase while the second works through co-assembly of silicate and surfactant micellar building blocks. For ionic surfactants, cooperative-assembly with silicate precursors is the result of charge density and geometry matching and multi-dentate... 

Ft is doubtful whether XRD can distinguish a mixture of tobermorite and C-S-H from a uniform material of intermediate crystallinity the situation may lie between these extremes (A30). This question is discussed further in Section 11.7.4. Crystallization is probably favoured by low bulk density its extent is apparently minimal in calcium silicate bricks (P49), but considerable in aerated concretes (A30). In cement-silica materials, substantially all the AljOj appears to enter the C-S-H, which as its Ca/Si ratio decreases can accommodate increasing amounts of tetrahedrally coordinated aluminium (S70). NMR results (K34) support an early conclusion (K62) that 1.1-nm tobermorite, too, can accommodate aluminium in tetrahedral sites. Small amounts of hydrogarnet have sometimes been detected, especially in products made from raw materials high in AljOj, such as pfa or slag. Minor amounts of tricalcium silicate hydrate (jaffeite C, S2H,) have sometimes been detected (A29,K61). 

In porous packing materials with 10-nm average pore diameter, 99% of the available surface area is inside the pores. Conversion of highly polar silica with high sUanol density (4.8 groups/nm ) [7] into the hydrophobic surface requires dense bonding of relatively thick organic layer which can effectively shield the surface of base silica material. 

In a previous study [5], we showed that some materials, in particular the low density silica xerogels, exhibit a remarkable behavior when submitted to mercury porosimetry. At low pressure, the volume variation observed is entirely due to a crushing mechanism, generally irreversible with sometimes a weak elastic component. At high pressure, these xerogels are invaded by mercury which intrudes the pore network. The transition fi om the crushing mechanism to intrusion is sudden at a pressure Pi, characteristic of the material. This particular point can be easily located on the curve of cumulative volume versus logarithm of pressure by... 

Particle-size and mass distribution curves, along with information on particle porosity, density, shape, and aggregation, can be obtained for submicrometer- and supramicrometer-size silica materials suspended in either aqueous or nonaqueous media by field-flow fractionation (FFF). Narrow fractions can readily be collected for confirmation or further characterization by microscopy and other means. Among the silicas examined were different types of colloidal microspheres, fumed silica, and various chromatographic supports. Size distribution curves for aqueous silica suspensions were obtained by both sedimentation FFF and flow FFF and for nonaqueous suspensions by thermal FFF. Populations of aggregates and oversized particles were isolated and identified in some samples. The capability of FFF to achieve the high-resolution fractionation of silica is confirmed by the collection of fractions and their examination by electron microscopy. 

Be that as it may, Villaescusa s rule allowed Camblor s group to produce several new low density pure-silica materials, including lTQ-3, > ITQ-4,t > ITQ-7,t > and ITQ-13,P as well... 

Table 1 List of silica materials arranged according to their density...

It may seem unexpected that whereas silica can increase the adhesion to surfaces, it also can reduce adhesion between similar surfaces. The well-known addition of small amounts of dry, low-density silica powders to prevent caking of granular material is considered in Chapter 5. Considered here are uses in which sols are applied to various materials to reduce adhesion. 

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