Evidence for the importance of a cationic charge in the formation of hollow fiber silica from an organic gel system

Abstract

To obtain an insight into the mechanism for the construction of novel hollow fiber silica ("macaroni silica"), sol-gel polymerization of tetraethoxysilane was carried out in the organic gels prepared in the presence of a benzo-18-crown-6-containing cholesterol gelator. Hollow fiber silica was obtained only in the presence of the high concentration of KClO4. The findings support the view that the cationic charge plays a role indispensable to the construction of the tubular structure.