Electron-Irradiation Induced Nanocrystallization of Pb(II) in Silica Gels Prepared in High Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that electron irradiation can induce nanocrystallization of lead (II) in silica gels prepared under high magnetic fields, enabling magnetic field-controlled crystallinity in material processing.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of controlling lead (II) nanocrystallite formation in silica gels via electron irradiation and magnetic field strength during gel preparation.

Findings

Nanocrystallization of Pb(II) is induced by electron irradiation.

Crystallinity depends on the magnetic field strength during gel preparation.

Magnetic field control allows tuning of nanocrystal formation.

Abstract

In a previous study, structure of silica gels prepared in a high magnetic field was investigated. While a direct application of such anisotropic silica gels is for an optical anisotropic medium possessing chemical resistance, we show here their possibility of medium in materials processing. In this direction, for example, silica hydrogels have so far been used as media of crystal growth. In this paper, as opposed to the soft-wet state, dried silica gels have been investigated. We have found that lead (II) nanocrystallites were formed induced by electron irradiation to lead (II)-doped dried silica gels prepared in a high magnetic field such as B = 10 T. Hydrogels made from a sodium metasilicate solution doped with lead (II) acetate were prepared. The dried specimens were irradiated by electrons in a transmission electron microscope environment. Electron diffraction patterns indicated the crystallinity of lead (II) nanocrystallites depending on B. An advantage of this processing technique is that the crystallinity can be controlled through the strength of magnetic field B applied during gel preparation. Specific skills are not required to control the strength of magnetic field.