Synthesis of precious opal in a hydrothermal solution
Authors:
- 1 January 2006
- journal article
- Published by Pleiades Publishing Ltd in Glass Physics and Chemistry
- Vol. 32 (1) , 89-98
Abstract
The nucleation of orthosilicic acid and the growth of colloidal silica particles in hydrothermal solutions are investigated. The results obtained are compared with the data on the formation of supramolecular matrices of precious opal. Ordered supramolecular structures are experimentally grown in a model solution through the precipitation of colloidal silica particles synthesized by hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane in an organic solvent. The type of packing of spherical particles in the supramolecular structure is studied as a function of the component concentration, particle size, and pH and temperature of the model solution. The experimental data can be used to reveal the mechanism of formation of precious opal and to design methods for preparing three-dimensional nanocomposites.Keywords
This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit:
- Fabrication and structural studies of opal-III nitride nanocompositesNanotechnology, 2000
- A Practical Guide to the Thermodynamics of Geothermal Fluids and Hydrothermal Ore Deposits1985
- Kinetics of silica polymerizationJournal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1981
- Amorphous silica solubilities—I. Behavior in aqueous sodium nitrate solutions; 25–300°C, 0–6 molalGeochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1980
- Kinetics of silica polymerization and deposition from dilute solutions between 5 and 180°CJournal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1979
- Solubility and solvation reactions of quartz in dilute hydrothermal solutionsChemical Geology, 1971
- Controlled growth of monodisperse silica spheres in the micron size rangeJournal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1968