Evolution of Sodium Silicate Sols through the Sol-to-Gel Transition Assessed by the Fluorescence-Based Nanoparticle Metrology Approach

The fluorescence-based nanosize metrology approach, proposed recently by Geddes and Birch (Geddes, C. D.; Birch, D. J. S. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 2000, 270, 191), was used to characterize the evolution of primary silica particles through the sol-to-gel transition and during aging of sodium silicate (SS) derived silica. In this study, the evolution of silica particles within SS derived silica was examined as a function of pH and glycerol doping …