Evidence for vesicle formation during the synthesis of catanionic templated mesoscopically ordered silica as studied by Cryo-TEM.
The formation of vesicles during the synthesis of mesostructured surfactant-silicate materials has been evidenced for the first time by applying in situ Cryo-TEM. A mixture of anionic and cationic surfactants was used to fine-tune the packing parameter of the supramolecular surfactant assembly. It is shown that the vesicles are formed during the course of the reaction and suggested to be a consequence of silicate condensation reactions. Furthermore, the study confirms earlier suggestions that the silicate-surfactant micelles are capable of solubilizing hydrophobic additives during the early stages of the reaction.
Pevzner
Svetlana
S
Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Box 653, 84105 Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Regev
Oren
O
Lind
Anna
A
Lindén
Mika
M