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Role of solvents in the gelation process: can light scattering studies shed some light?

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Abstract

Sol–gel reactions continue to be of interest for the preparation of nanostructured materials. Two chemical reactions that are important in the sol–gel process are the hydrolysis and condensation reactions. The rate of the these two reactions are affected by a number of factors such as reaction pH, temperature, humidity, amount of water, type of alkoxide, molar ratio of alkoxide to water, and nature of solvent. Moreover, there is a physical process, that of particle aggregation that is also important in the overall gelation process. The role of solvents in these chemical and physical processes is still not very clear. In order to clarify the role of solvents in the gelation process, small angle light scattering studies (SALS) were carried out. A model system chosen was a colloidal silica solution that contained preformed silica particles of 10–15 nm in diameter. SALS studies indicate that gelation times are independent of the nature of solvent.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the National Science Foundation-Division of Materials Research (NSF-DMR-0234686) for funding to conduct this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA

    Ranjit T. Koodali

  2. Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

    Tehereh Mokhtari & Christopher M. Sorensen

  3. Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA

    Kenneth J. Klabunde

Authors
  1. Ranjit T. Koodali
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  2. Tehereh Mokhtari
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  3. Christopher M. Sorensen
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  4. Kenneth J. Klabunde
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Correspondence to Ranjit T. Koodali.

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Koodali, R.T., Mokhtari, T., Sorensen, C.M. et al. Role of solvents in the gelation process: can light scattering studies shed some light? . J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 66, 43–49 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-013-2964-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-013-2964-2

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