Synthesis of silica nanoparticles having a well-ordered mesostructure using a double surfactant system.

A well-ordered hexagonal structure of the mesopores was produced by previous hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane with hydrochloric acid and subsequent assembly of cationic surfactant micelles and anionic silicate species at a basic condition. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (20-50 nm) having a well-ordered hexagonal mesostructure were produced using a mixture of cationic surfactant as a template and nonionic block copolymer as a suppressant of grain growth.