Abstract
This article describes the genesis of amorphous silica under high-heat conditions from SiO2 molecules through protoparticles, primary particles, and aggregates to agglomerates using vibrational spectra and quantum chemical simulations data. The impact of small molecules (water, HCl, CO2) is also discussed. The article also explains the nature of the pyrogenic silica amorphism.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors express their gratitude to Dr. H. Barthel (Wacker Chemie GmbH) for kind cooperation and fruitful discussion.