Mapeo estructural de sílica xerogel utilizando espectroscopía infrarroja

Abstract

Infrared spectroscopy has been used to analyse structural changes in samples prepared by the sol-gel method. Silica xerogels powders were prepared from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), distilled water, and ethanol with different H$_{2}$O/TEOS molar ratios. A low water to TEOS molar ratio gives a incomplete hydrolysis of the TEOS molecules and yielding to oligomeric structures, whereas a high water to TEOS molar ratio yield to a full hydrolyzation faciliting the cross-linking of polymeric chains and producing a three-dimensional interconnection of siloxanes.