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AgI-MCM48-ZnI 2 hybrid powders (HPs) based on mesoporous silica and silver/zinc iodides were synthesized via the hydrothermal template co-condensation (HTC) method. Particular attention was paid to the post-synthetic treatment, specifically the annealing stage. The primary objective was to determine the optimal annealing temperature that enables the full development of the composite’s structural and textural properties while preserving the metal iodide crystals. The physicochemical characteristics of the HPs were evaluated using various analytical methods, with the retention of AgI and ZnI 2 phases, specific surface area, and pore parameters serving as key control indicators.The results confirm that the morphology of the AgI-MCM48-ZnI 2 HPs is governed by the structural features of the unmodified MCM-48 matrix. It was demonstrated that reducing the annealing temperature to 550 °C allows for a 25 wt% increase in the zinc iodide content within the HPs while effectively preventing the formation of undesired zinc oxide. Furthermore, this optimized temperature regime contributed to a 1.5–2.0-fold increase in both specific surface area and pore diameter. The incorporation of zinc iodide was shown to significantly enhance the thermal stability of silver iodide. These findings suggest that the synthesized AgI-MCM48-ZnI 2 composites are highly promising for weather modification technologies, specifically for hail suppression and rainfall enhancement.
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Averkina et al. (2026) studied this question.