Title: Synthesis of silica nanoparticles from sodium metasilicate

Authors: Alexis Alejandro Salazar Navarro; Benjamin Valdez Salas

Addresses: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico ' Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Abstract: A green and facile method to synthesise amorphous silica nanoparticles was performed following principles of sol gel technique, such as the electrolyte's effects on particles morphology. We used sodium metasilicate as safe and biodegradable source of silicon, and two different trisiloxane PEGylated silicon surfactants with different terminal groups to improve micelles formation in a mixture of water ethanol. A low ethanol concentration was used to control condensation rate and a cation exchange resin to control the solution pH and sodium content. The synthesis was based on hydrolysis and condensation reactions, which were lead under vigorous stirring followed by reflux at 95°C for one hour to improve suspension stability and avoid precipitation and calcination steps. Spherical silica nanoparticles were obtained with diameter of 1.66 nm and a negative Zeta potential of 200 mV.

Keywords: silica nanoparticles; sol gel science; sodium metasilicate.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2022.122939

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2022 Vol.14 No.1, pp.1 - 12

Received: 18 Mar 2021
Accepted: 16 Nov 2021
Published online: 17 May 2022 *