Nanorods get even smaller

Scientists in Canada have developed a simple method to control the size of nanorods, making them more useful for catalytic applications.

27-Jun-2008

Scientists have made mesoporous silica nanorods previously using an acidic solution of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and a polyethylene oxide known as P123. However, to make the nanorods more useful for encapsulating and transporting molecules, a way to make smaller particles is required.

Linda Nazar and colleagues at the University of Waterloo found they could control the size of the nanorods simply by using a more dilute solution of TEOS and P123. They were able to halt the synthesis at an early stage of growth, allowing them to make nanorods far smaller than previously reported. Nazar believes that using a dilute solution minimises the chance of newly formed particles colliding with each other and forming aggregates.

'The method we invented will hopefully initiate a new round of discovery in functional nanosized mesoporous materials with specific high-transport properties,' says Nazar.

Original publication. Xiulei Ji, Kyu T. Lee, Muguette Monjauze and Linda F. Nazar, Chem. Commun., 2008

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