Properties of Highly Dispersed Silicas Precipitated in an Organic Medium

Silicas were obtained using a precipitation technique from metasilicate solution with an acidic agent. The precipitation process includes formation of silica particles and their aggregation. Alcohol solutions were used in the production process of the highly dispersed silicas, resulting in a partial blocking of the silica surface silanol groups and, thus, in a decreased hydrophilicity of silica. The precipitated silicas were subjected to physicochemical, structural, and microscopic evaluation, and their surface properties were examined. The effect of alcohols on the silica particle size distributions and on hydrophobicity of silica surface was tested.