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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Preparation of Functional Silica Using a Bioinspired Method
Published on: August 1, 2018
One-step synthesis of functional chiral porous silica nanorods using an achiral surfactant
1Functional Nanomaterials Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100190, China.
Abstract:
Functional chiral porous silica nanorods have been synthesized by a one-step process. In this process, self-assembly of achiral cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) took place simultaneously in basic solution under static conditions. The functional nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The formation process of chiral nanorods is different from the chiral silica nanostructure synthesis pathways reported previously. Furthermore, the chiral nanorods could be used as a highly selective adsorbent for Hg2+ ions in waste water.
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