PROCEDURE FOR THE PREPARATION OF MESOPOROUS SILICA NANOCYLINDERS AND DERIVED PRODUCTS

Currently it is difficult to obtain a good homogeneous coating of the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with mesoporous silica due to the problems to disperse them prior to synthesis because they are easily aggregated. In most cases, ultrasound is used for long periods of time in order to obtain a good dispersion of the carbon nanotubes. They are also helped by treatments in oxidizing acid medium to functionalize the surface of the carbon nanotube and thus improve its dispersibility, but that does not avoid the use of ultrasound for long periods of time.We can find very simple syntheses, but the result is not homogeneous at all and a composite with a homogeneous coating or with the appropriate morphology is not obtained. Researchers of the Universitat de València have developed a new procedure for obtaining porous silica in the form of a nanocylinder. This nanocylinder can be empty or can include carbon nanotubes inside. Its synthesis is easy and fast to perform, improving the state of the art since it does not require the use of ultrasound and shortens the time to obtain the materials. Additionally, it manages to completely cover the carbon nanotubes. The strategy used allows this to be the only product resulting from the synthesis. They present the originality of using a mechanochemical synthesis stage and the material obtained is homogeneous and the silica coating is uniform.