Facile one-pot fabrication of hollow porous silica nanoparticles.

A method for the fabrication of hollow silica nanospheres, a facile one-pot hydrothermal route, is described. Heating of an aqueous solution of water glass and D-glucose to 180 °C for 24 h affords-as indicated by transmission electron microscopy-a nanospherical composite consisting of a silica shell sheathing a carbonaceous core. Subsequent removal of the carbonaceous interior through oxidation in air produces hollow silica structures.