Influence of the Precursor Concentration on the Characteristics of Silica Powder Obtained from Na2SiO3 by a Facile Low Temperature Synthesis Process

A convenient synthesis, as well as distinctive structure and physical-chemical properties provide silica materials suitable for a wide range of potential applications, such as catalysts, functional coatings, chemical and biological sensors and drug delivery. In this work a facile route has been successfully developed, at ambient pressure and temperature; to synthesize uniform silica particles, from Na2SiO3 waste solution. Non-aggregated silica was prepared by surfactant template sol-gel techniques, via acid-catalyzed hydrolysis by HCl. The influence of the precursor's concentration on the characteristics of the silica powders was investigated. Powders have spherical morphology, and diameter between 0.1 and 5 μm with a narrow size distribution. Results of BET specific surface area analysis were in range 276.26 to 961.54 m 2 ·g -1 . This proposed route possesses advantage over known method for synthesis of silica from silicon alkoxides, because of its low cost and environment friendly, since it employs a waste matter as precursor of silica.