The Influence of Cations on Growth Kinetics of Silica Aggregates

Abstract
Silica gels are prepared by acidification (pH = 2 − 4) of water glass. SAXS measurements show that the gel consists of fractal aggregates (D = 2.2). Although the fractal dimension is not influenced by addition of cations, Al3+ and Mg2+ retard the growth of the fractal aggregates, while TMA+ has a promoting effect.