Synthesis and properties of hollow silica nanoparticles

Hollow nanoparticles of silicon dioxide (SiO2) have been obtained using Cu/SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles as precursors. An original technique based on heating the precursor nanoparticles to T = 400°C followed by a nanochemical reaction of copper oxide separation from hollow silica particles has been proposed and implemented for the first time. The obtained hollow SiO2 nanoparticles have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Mechanisms involved in the formation of hollow silica nanoparticles are discussed.