A method for forming hollow silica spheres by dissolving a hydrolyzable aryl silane in an aqueous solution of water and an acid to form a hydrolyzed silane solution, mixing the hydrolyzed silane solution with a hydroxide base to form a precipitate, and calcining the precipitate in a multi-stage calcination procedure that includes (a) heating to a first temperature of 180 to 240° C. with a first ramp rate of 3 to 10° C./min and holding the first temperature for 2 minutes to 2 hours, then (b) heating to a second temperature of 600 to 740° C. at a second ramp rate of 0.1 to 4° C./min, and holding the second temperature for 2 to 24 hours.

An object of the present invention is to provide a porous silica powder suitable for, for example, a gas chromatography support, and the porous silica powder has an average pore diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm as determined by a mercury intrusion method, a volume of pores having a 100 nm or smaller pore diameter of 0.2 cm.sup.3/g or less as determined by a nitrogen gas adsorption method, a specific surface area of 0.5 to 100 m.sup.2/g as determined by a nitrogen gas adsorption method, and a particle size distribution of 10 to 1000 μm.

An object of the present invention is to provide a porous silica powder suitable for, for example, a gas chromatography support, and the porous silica powder has an average pore diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm as determined by a mercury intrusion method, a volume of pores having a 100 nm or smaller pore diameter of 0.2 cm.sup.3/g or less as determined by a nitrogen gas adsorption method, a specific surface area of 0.5 to 100 m.sup.2/g as determined by a nitrogen gas adsorption method, and a particle size distribution of 10 to 1000 μm.

The disclosure relates to a silica-based structurant and methods of making such a structurant. According to one embodiment, the structurant may include 55 wt % to 90 wt % of a silica having a [Na.sub.2O]/[SiO.sub.2] molar ratio of from 0.02 to 0.14 and at least 15 wt % of an adjunct salt. The structurant may have a hydrated particle size distribution such that no more than 30 wt % of the structurant has a hydrated particle size greater than 45 micrometers according to the Structurant Residue Test. The structurant may also have a tapped bulk density of from 200 g/L to 300 g/L. Methods of making the structurant include combining starting materials with a non-stoichiometric amount of acid, then drying the reaction mixture without first washing any silica-based particles to produce a silica-based structurant with adjunct salt.

The disclosure relates to a silica-based structurant and methods of making such a structurant. According to one embodiment, the structurant may include 55 wt % to 90 wt % of a silica having a [Na.sub.2O]/[SiO.sub.2] molar ratio of from 0.02 to 0.14 and at least 15 wt % of an adjunct salt. The structurant may have a hydrated particle size distribution such that no more than 30 wt % of the structurant has a hydrated particle size greater than 45 micrometers according to the Structurant Residue Test. The structurant may also have a tapped bulk density of from 200 g/L to 300 g/L. Methods of making the structurant include combining starting materials with a non-stoichiometric amount of acid, then drying the reaction mixture without first washing any silica-based particles to produce a silica-based structurant with adjunct salt.

Provided is a method of manufacturing silicon oxide by which an amount of oxygen of the silicon oxide may be controlled. The method of manufacturing silicon oxide may include mixing silicon and silicon dioxide to be included in a reaction chamber, depressurizing a pressure of the reaction chamber to obtain a high degree of vacuum while increasing a temperature in the reaction chamber to a reaction temperature, and reacting the mixture of silicon and silicon dioxide in a reducing atmosphere.

A method for manufacturing porous silicon can include reducing unpurified silica in the presence of a reducing agent to prepare a porous silicon material. The method of manufacture can optionally include purifying a silica, exposing the silica to reaction modifiers, purifying the mixture of the silica and reaction modifiers, comminuting the silica, purifying the silicon, coating the silicon, post-processing the silicon, and/or any suitable steps.

The present invention provides a mesoporous silica comprising of components A and B such that component A is a surfactant of a saponin family and component B is a precursor of a silica. The present inventions also provides a method of producing said mesoporous silica by mixing components A and B in a solvent.

The present invention provides a mesoporous silica comprising of components A and B such that component A is a surfactant of a saponin family and component B is a precursor of a silica. The present inventions also provides a method of producing said mesoporous silica by mixing components A and B in a solvent.

Provided is a dispersion liquid of silica particles, comprising silica particles having an average particle diameter of 5 to 300 nm determined from an electron micrograph and a density of 1.20 g/cm.sup.3 or more determined from a specific surface area determined by a BET method using nitrogen adsorption, wherein the dispersion liquid has a pH of less than 8, a silica concentration of 12 to 40% by mass, and a viscosity in terms of a silica concentration of 20% by mass of 40 mPa.Math.s or less. When this silica particle is used as an abrasive, it is possible to realize a sufficient polishing speed and a smooth polished surface on which occurrence of scratches is suppressed.