Shape-controlled synthesis of hollow silica colloids.

In this work, hollow silica colloids with different shapes, such as pseudocubes, ellipsoids, capsules, and peanuts, have been synthesized through the following process: silica coating on the surface of hematite colloidal particles with different shapes (pseudocubes, ellipsoids, capsules, and peanuts) and the sequential acid dissolution of the hematite cores. The as-obtained hollow silica colloids with different shapes have uniform sizes, shapes, and shells.