Effect of tetraethoxysilane pretreatment on synthesis of colloidal particles of amorphous silicon dioxide.

The effect of the time passed after tetraethoxysilane treatment with ammonia on the diameter of particles produced by tetraethoxysilane hydrolysis in alcohol-water-ammonia media is studied. The regulation the time passed after of tetraethoxysilane treatment results in the synthesis of submicron monodisperse spherical silica particles with diameters differing by a factor of two. The difference is explained by the formation of SiO particles with sizes of 10-100 nm in tetraethoxysilane during 10-30 h after treatment with ammonia. These particles enhance the concentration of nucleation centers in a reaction mixture, thus decreasing the final size of monodisperse silica spheres. Opal films with a high structural perfection and pronounced photonic crystal properties are grown based on the obtained monodisperse SiO particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]