ABSTRACT
Most powders and fibers have relatively high surface area, and this has been a key enabler for detecting infrared (IR) bands due to surface functionalities. IR spectroscopy is a versatile and widely used technique for obtaining molecular details of the interfacial region of powders and fibers. The importance of sample morphology is clearly seen in IR adsorption studies on silica. The temperature/evacuation control is used in performing the gas phase reaction and as a pretreatment protocol to control the number and type of surface sites on the oxide powders. In FTIR studies at the solid/nonaqueous interface, the oxide powder should also be pretreated in a vacuum, and the quality of the surface must be maintained before contact with the solvent. The sol–gel process is a versatile solution process for making ceramic and glass materials. In a typical sol–gel process, the precursor is subjected to a series of hydrolysis and condensation reactions to form a stable sol.
