Because of its simple composition, vast availability in pure form and ease of processing, vitreous silica is often used as a model to study the physics of amorphous solids. Research in amorphous silica is also motivated by its ubiquity in modern technology, a prominent example being as bulk material in transmissive and diffractive optics for high-power laser applications such as inertial confin...

In the past, the two major biomineralization motifs, biosilicification and biocalcification, were considered as two discrete processes. However, there is increasing evidence of the existence of an inextricable relationship between biosilica and calcium-based biominerals. The recent discovery of a unique silica–chitin–aragonite biocomposite in one genus of demosponges (Verongida) introduces a no...

In this study, Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA-15) mesoporous silica has been functionalized with aminopropyl groups that were converted to propargyl-bearing moieties through the reaction with propargyl bromide. The material then underwent an efficient Cu(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne click reaction with sodium azide in order to obtain the corresponding triazole products. The covalent modification of ...

In this paper, Erianthus plant, a grass type of lignocellulosic biomass, is presented as an alternative source for the production amorphous silica. Thermal treatment (combustion) plant under controlled temperature 600–900°C produces Ash (EA). Then, silica powder was extracted from EA by chemical extraction method. work, effect on preparation and studied. The samples are noted EA600 – EA900 Si60...

Thin films of hafnium oxide have been grown by high pressure reactive sputtering on transparent quartz substrates (UV-grade silica) and silicon wafers. Deposition conditions were adjusted to obtain polycrystalline as well as amorphous films. Optical properties of the films deposited on the silica substrates were investigated by transmittance and reflectance spectroscopy in the ultraviolet, visi...

BACKGROUND Diatomaceous earth (DE) is mined globally and is potentially of occupational respiratory health concern due to the high crystalline silica content in processed material. DE toxicity, in terms of variability related to global source and processing technique, is poorly understood. This study addresses this variability using physicochemical characterisation and in vitro toxicology assay...