A facile method for preparation of hollow mesoporous silica sphere and its application

Hollow mesoporous silica spheres (HMSS) were facilely synthesized by the Stöber method, in which decane was first used to form the hollow structure. The pore diameter of the mesoporous shell and the porous volume of the HMSS become higher with addition of decane. The average diameter of the HMSS is about 1100 nm, the thickness of the shell is about 190 nm. The mesoporous channels are perpendicular throughout the shell to the center of the HMSS. The HMSS shows an excellent adsorption property for cationic organic dye (methylene blue, MB) from aqueous solutions, such as higher adsorption rate and capacity than those reported.