Pore size control of monodisperse silica particles by dual template sol–gel method

Sub 2-μm monodisperse mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) were synthesized using a mixed template system in a MeOH/H 2 O solution. 1-Dodecylamine (DDA) and polymeric type Jeffamine surfactants, including D2000, D4000, and T5000, were employed as templates. These mixed template syntheses realized to gain MMSS materials with good spherical shape and uniform particle size. When the MeOH/H 2 O (v/v) ratio was controlled between 2.5:1 and 3.0:1, mesoporous silica spheres of 2.10–2.35 μm with excellent dispersibility can be obtained. Depending on the surfactant chain length of Jeffamine, hydrothermal aging pH (4–9), time (12–24 h), and temperature (80–140 °C), MMSS with large-pore sizes (up to 14.3 nm), surface areas (153–791 m 2 /g), and pore volumes (0.47–1.28 cm 3 /g) can be synthesized.