Formation of manganese oxide shells on silica spheres with various crystal structures using surfactants for the degradation of methylene blue dye

Abstract

In this research, silica-Mn oxide nanocomposites with a stable core-shell structure were prepared successfully by adding a Mn aqueous solution containing Mn nitrate, CTAB, and t-butanol into the colloid of spherical silica particles under basic condition. Mn oxide shells with a range of thickness from 7.92 nm to 29.89 nm could be formed on the surface of silica nanoparticles by changing the concentrations of TEOS and Mn nitrate as the precursors of silica and Mn oxide. As the higher concentration of Mn nitrate was added i