Exploring the World of Tiny Holes: How Silica's Pores Vary

Silica is famous for its tiny holes, or pores. These pores can be as small as 5-10 nanometers. Understanding these pores is crucial because they can be used in many ways. In this study, scientists made silica with different methods, like using chemicals or tiny particles in the air. They then used special tools to look at these pores. One tool, called small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), helped them see the average size and structure of the pores.Other tools, like field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), let them see the pores' shapes and how they were arranged. By combining these tools, the scientists got a clear picture of how the pores were ordered and how they related to each other. This helped them understand the structure of silica with different pore sizes better.