Synthesis of elastic macrospheres of silica–surfactant nanocomposites Original Research Article

Centimeter sized macrospheres of silica–surfactant nanocomposites were synthesized from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and the neutral triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 (EO20PO70EO20) or cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants as organic templates under acidic conditions (pH<1), The organic–inorganic hybrid macrosphere is crack-free and possesses high elasticity. The determining factors in the formation of macrospheres include the chemical composition (i.e. TEOS content and surfactant compositions) and the shear rate in the synthetic solution.