Features of Colloidal Aggregation in Tetraethoxysilane-Water-Ethanol Ternary Mixtures by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

Resumo

The influence of the concentration of components in a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)–water–ethanol mixture on the growth of silicate aggregates in a basic environment is studied with small-angle neutron scattering. There is a general increase in the size of aggregates with an increase in the amount of both water and TEOS. At the same time, when the H₂O : TEOS molar ratio is 2 : 1, the structure of the aggregates repeats, regardless of the TEOS concentration in the system. The scattering length density of the aggregates is found via hydrogen/deuterium isotopic substitution and contrast variation to analyze the possible inclusion of residual ethyl and hydroxyl groups into their structure.