Preparation and characterization of montmorillonite–silica nanocomposites: A sol–gel approach to modifying clay surfaces

Montmorillonite–silica nanocomposites were prepared by a sol–gel approach involving hydrolysis reaction of alkoxysilanes (TEOS) and subsequent condensation reaction with hydroxyl groups of the clay, resulting in the formation of the mesoporous silica network and silica nanoparticles covered or attached on the clay surfaces. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and...