Investigating the impact of alcohols on the morphology and structure of dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS)

Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica (DFNS) holds great promise for applications in various biomedical fields, CO₂ capture and conversion, catalysis, environmental remediation (or water treatment), and sensor development. While the impact of primary (linear) alcohols as co-surfactants in their synthesis has been investigated, the role of other alcohols beyond linear remains unexplored to date. In this study, we investigated the impact of different alcohols as co-surfactants on the morphology, structure, and physical properties of DFNS. We employed various primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols, as well as diols with differing chain lengths and isomers. Significant variations in the specific surface area (SBET) and total pore volume (Vp) were revealed across the samples, accompanied by notable morphological differences observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering. The highest SBET and Vp values were found in samples synthesized with primary or linear alcohols, while much lower values were observed for samples synthesized with branched alcohols and diols. These findings emphasize the role of alcohols in governing the final morphology and structure of DFNS.