Synthesis of silicon dioxide cone shaped highly ordered hedgehog-like microstructures on gallium droplets

A simple chemical transport method was used to obtain Ga-core / SiO2-shell microstructures. The cone-shaped silica needles assembled in a highly ordered pattern on a gallium droplet. Morphology of those regularly arranged microstructures was present in scanning electron microscopy images. The chemical composition and structure were confirmed using energy dispersive X-ray and Raman spectroscopy. Such core-shell, gallium-silicon dioxide regular microstructures are reported for the first time.