Synthesis of Monodisperse Silica Nanoparticles via Heterogeneous Tetraethoxysilane Hydrolysis Using L-Arginine as a Catalyst

This paper examines how the hydrodynamic conditions and temperature of the synthesis of silica nanoparticles under heterogeneous tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) hydrolysis conditions with the use of L-arginine as a catalyst influence the particle size and uniformity. It is shown that, up to a TEOS conversion near 0.4, the rate of the chemical reaction is time-independent and corresponds to a zeroth-order chemical reaction with respect to TEOS. Varying the TEOS concentration through dilution with cyclohexane is shown to influence the rate of the chemical reaction.