Fabrication, Design and Characterization of 1D Nano-Fibrous SiO2 Surface by a Facile and Scalable Method

Abstract

In this paper, new 1D nano-fibrous SiO2 with functionalized surfaces is prepared. First, the effect of dispersion on the morphology and the surface properties of the silica SiO2 compounds are investigated. Second, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and variable pressure scanning electron microscope (VP-SEM) show typically pure and fibrous texture on the surface of SiO2. Third, the presence of the bridging oxygen stretching vibration Si-O-Si, as well as the increase in the intensity ratio between Si-OH band and Si-O-Si are revealed by (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD) validates the conservation of the SiO lattice after chemical treatment through the KOH for both dispersed and non-dispersed samples. In addition, the shift of the XRD main peak (101) is in good agreement with the FTIR results showing the shift of Si-O-Si peak and the increase in the intensity ratio of Si-OH/Si-O-Si. The dispersed SiO2 sample exhibits a promising functionalized surface with satisfactory results in terms of silica nanofibers crystallinity and chemical composition. As a result, gigh resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) data corroborate the claim of the presence of SiO2 nanofibers on the surface from 20 nm to 250 nm. New nano-fibrous SiO2 surfaces will be used to improve interfacial bonding strength between SiO2 compounds and polymer (or organic materials).