Synthesis of Cu/SiO₂ nanosize particles by a reverse micelle and sol-gel processing

The preparation of SiO₂ with Cu nano meter size particles using reverse micelle and sol-gel technique was studied. Composite particles with a narrow size distribution were obtained in reverse micelles followed by hydrolysis and condensation in the micro-emulsion. Reverse micelles were prepared from nonionic surfactant at ambient temperature. The structure, size and morphology of the resulting composites were examined by high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The average size of the cluster was found to depend on the micelle size, the nature of the solvent, and the concentration of the reagent.