Hydrothermal synthesis of monodisperse single-crystalline alpha-quartz nanospheres

Uniformly-sized, single-crystal alpha-quartz nanospheres have been synthesized at 200 °C and 15 atm under continuous stirring starting from uniform, amorphous Stöber silica colloids and using NaCl and alkali hydroxide as mineralizers. Quartz nanosphere size is controlled by the colloid particle size via direct devitrification. Uniform, high-purity nanocrystalline quartz is important for understanding nanoparticle toxicology and for advanced polishing and nanocomposite fabrication.