Synthesis and properties of hollow silica nanoparticles

Hollow nanoparticles of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) have been obtained using Cu/SiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles as precursors. An original technique based on heating the precursor nanoparticles to T = 400°C followed by a nanochemical reaction of copper oxide separation from hollow silica particles has been proposed and implemented for the first time. The obtained hollow SiO 2 nanoparticles have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. Mechanisms involved in the formation of hollow silica nanoparticles are discussed.