Gel formation during sol–gel synthesis of silicon dioxide

Abstract

The effects of water and catalyst (formic acid) concentrations and temperature on tetraethoxysilane hydrolysis, followed by gel formation, have been studied. The catalyst concentration is found to have a stronger effect on the variation rate of dynamic viscosity of the system compared to the effect of water concentration. The thermal behavior of the thus-prepared xerogels has been studied in an air flow; distinctions have been noticed for samples whose initial dispersion-bound systems were formed at room temperature.