Description:
Abstract: The initial intention of this study is to prepare silica xerogels using a-two step acid base catalyst
method based on sol-gel process. It is then followed by studying the fundamental parameters that govern the
silica material structure from the perspectives of the chemical composition and surface properties. This method
was employed to control the ratio of the silanol:siloxane concentration on silica xerogels. Specifically, the
surface silanol groups are hydrophilic in nature which can coordinate with water molecules via hydrogen
bonding. Through this interaction, the coordinated water undergoes hydrolytic attack on the neighbouring
siloxane bridges which are easily hydrolyzed. FTIR spectroscopy showed the higher the sol pH the greater the
siloxane concentration of the as-prepared xerogels. In addition, the surface structure of silica xerogels was pH
dependent which showed a shift from microporous to mesoporous structure (2.57–17.67nm). The results
obtained in this investigation are very useful to the understanding of the material matrix which is crucial for the
fabrication and performance of the silica based membranes.
Keywords: Silica Xerogel, Sol Gel, Acid-Base Catalyst, Silanol, Siloxane