Fabrication and characterization of nanoporous diatomaceous earth on silicon substrate

Abstract

Nanoporous materials have gained significant attention for their unique structural properties and potential applications in various fields. This study focuses on the fabrication and characterization of diatomaceous earth on a silicon substrate. The SEM micrographs of diatomite reveal mass holes distributed over its surface with pore diameters ranging from 0.25 to 0.70 µm, classifying it as macroporous. Locally magnified images (30,000x) demonstrate subcircular pores with diameters around 470 nm. Pore size distribution, analyzed using diatomite-based ceramics and silver (II) oxide-draped porous composite ceramics through the mercury intrusion technique, indicates that diatomite-based porous ceramics have pore sizes between 0.675 and 40 µm, with a majority of pores having similar dimensions. High-temperature calcination (950°C) resulted in the melting and fusion of diatomite material pores, leading to broken pore structures. Following silver (II) oxide deposition, the composite ceramics exhibited pore sizes ranging from 0.017 to 5 µm and 5 to 21 µm, with most pores measuring approximately 3 µm and 11 µm, respectively. These findings contribute to the understanding of nanoporous material behavior