Contribution to the study of the formation mechanism of mesoporous silica type SBA-3

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to characterize the micelles and particles in the reaction mixtures during the synthesis of SBA-3 type silica at different temperatures, acid and salt concentrations. The adsorption of the siliceous species on the micelles leads to their transformation into wormlike micelles which aggregate into “liquid particles” (gyroids or spheres, observed by optical microscopy) through the screening of the micellar charges. Their transformation into “solid particles” occurs through the replacement of the intermicellar hydrogen and Van der Waals bonds involving the silanol groups by siloxane bonds.