Abstract
Iron-substituted silicas with hollow nanospherical morphology and cage-like mesostructure have been synthesized using triblock copolymer F127 as surfactant and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) as silica source with no necessary addition of mineral acids. Iron-functionalized hollow nanospheres were obtained using Fe(acac)3 as iron source. When Fe(NO3)3 was employed as iron source, iron-containing cage-like FDU-12 mesostructure and hollow nanospheres were formed with Fe/Si molar ratio lower than 0.008 and higher than 0.015, respectively. The formation of hollow spheres at high Fe/Si ratio can be regarded as gradually dissociation of nanocages from Fe-FDU-12. The structure of the iron centers was determined by spectroscopic methods (UV–vis and UV–Raman measurements) and by elemental analyses. The facile structural evolution between cage-like and nanospherical structures may be helpful for further understanding the formation mechanism of mesoporous silicas.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
