Characterisation of silica surfaces III: Characterisation of aerosil samples through ethanol adsorption and contact angle studies

Abstract

Aerosil samples, heat treated and then silylated with various silanes at various temperatures have been characterised by adsorption of ethanol at 293 K. Adsorption isotherms were plotted and the BET specific surface areas were determined. Contact angles were measured by the captive bubble method at the three phase contact line in ethanol, on glass slides similarly modified. Silylation was found to alter the ethanol adsorptive properties on aerosil and increase the contact angles on the glass slides to extents that depend on the silane used as well as the concentration of residual silanols and that of surface silyl groups.