Microporous Silica Hollow Microspheres and Hollow Worm-Like Materials: A Simple Method for Their Synthesis and Their Application in Controlled Release

✍ Scribed by Mingwei Zhao; Yanan Gao; Liqiang Zheng; Wenpei Kang; Xiangtao Bai; Bin Dong

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 976 KB
• Volume: 2010
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1434-1948
• DOI: 10.1002/ejic.200900737

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Hollow silica microspheres and hollow worm‐like materials were synthesized by using a simple method with the aid of 1‐dodecyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide (C~12~mimBr). Hollow silica microspheres were initially produced by utilizing the combination of evaporation and an emulsion template. At a longer mixing time, the microspheres fused to form hollow worm‐like silica materials due to the fusion of the emulsion templates. The resultant silica materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. Both the hollow silica microspheres and the hollow worm‐like materials are microporous. On the basis of experimental observations and the resulting products, a plausible formation mechanism is proposed. Preliminary tests demonstrate that the hollow silica microspheres and worm‐like materials are capable of being loaded with Rhodamine B and releasing it, thus showing a great potential in controlled delivery applications.