Silica Monolith Formation
Silica Monolith Formation - Related Videos
06:54
Preparing Silica Aerogel Monoliths via a Rapid Supercritical Extraction Method
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Cited by 26 •
2014
This article describes a rapid supercritical extraction method for fabricating silica aerogels. By utilizing a confined mold and hydraulic hot press, monolithic aerogels can be made in eight hours or less.
10:27
Preparation of Highly Porous Coordination Polymer Coatings on Macroporous Polymer Monoliths for Enhanced Enrichment of Phosphopeptides
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Cited by 12 •
2015
A procedure for the preparation of porous hybrid separation media composed of a macroporous polymer monolith internally coated by a high surface area microporous coordination polymer is presented.
05:46
Assembly of Porous Monolithic Materials Using a Pickering Emulsion Strategy Stabilized by Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) Particles
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2026
This study successfully uses MIL-96(Al) Metal-Organic Frameworks particles to stabilize Pickering emulsions, which serve as templates to form mechanically robust, hierarchically porous monolithic materials. This method allows scalable MOF shaping while preserving crystal integrity. Tuning formulation is key to controlling pore size, interconnectivity, permeability, and robustness.
09:11
Porosimetry of a Silica Alumina Powder
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2023
Source: Kerry M. Dooley and Michael G. Benton, Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA Surface area and pore size distribution are attributes used by adsorbent and catalyst manufacturers and users to ensure quality control and to determine when products are at the end of their useful lives. The surface area of a porous solid is directly related to its adsorption capacity or catalytic activity. The pore size distribution of an adsorbent or catalyst is...
07:51
Fabrication of Silica Ultra High Quality Factor Microresonators
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Cited by 22 •
2012
We describe the use of a carbon dioxide laser reflow technique to fabricate silica resonant cavities, including free-standing microspheres and on-chip microtoroids. The reflow method removes surface imperfections, allowing long photon lifetimes within both devices. The resulting devices have ultra high quality factors, enabling applications ranging from telecommunications to biodetection.
FAQs
In the sol-gel route, hydrolysis first reacts silicon alkoxides or related compounds with the surrounding liquid, while condensation links the resulting species into an expanding silica network. Continued linking changes the material from a liquid precursor into a solid structure. The balance between these reactions helps determine how the network develops before solvent removal completes solidification.
Reaction conditions influence the network’s pore size, density, and mechanical properties. Changes during precursor conversion and solvent removal can produce structures that differ in how open, compact, or mechanically robust they are. Controlling these conditions is therefore important when the monolith must provide both suitable interconnected pores and sufficient structural integrity for a biological application.
Interconnected pores allow surrounding liquids and dissolved substances to reach biomolecules held within the silica network. This access can help entrapped enzymes, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules remain functionally available rather than being isolated inside a completely closed solid. Pore structure consequently affects how useful the monolith is for sensing, separation, or delivery-related purposes.
A typical preparation begins with a liquid silicon-containing precursor, such as a silicon alkoxide or related compound. Hydrolysis and condensation then build the silica network throughout the liquid. The developing material is allowed to solidify as solvent is removed, while reaction conditions are controlled to obtain the desired combination of porosity, density, and mechanical properties.
Biomolecules can be entrapped or immobilized within the monolith while remaining accessible through its interconnected pores. This combination provides a solid support for biological recognition or activity and a porous pathway for contact with surrounding materials. Consequently, silica monoliths can be incorporated into biosensors and chromatography-related systems where biomolecule retention and molecular access are both important.
Their controlled porosity allows silica monoliths to serve as structured supports in controlled-delivery research, where the internal network is relevant to interactions with entrapped substances. In biomimetic materials studies, the same tunable three-dimensional structure provides a platform for investigating materials that reproduce selected features of biological organization. These uses connect sol-gel chemistry with biological design questions.