Formation of whiskers of silicate mesostructures

Whiskers of mesostructured silicate having a sharp top and hexagonal habits were formed on a flat substrate by surfactant-templated synthesis in an ac idic solution system. In the initial stage of whisker formation, truncated cones of hexagonal mesosilicate covered the surface through heterogeneous n ucleation. Whisker structures were constructed on the truncated cones by su rfactant micelles accompanied with silicate through a hexagonal plan. The f ormation of sharp whiskers is ascribed to instability of the surface of the mesostructured silicate-surfactant composite in a diffusion field.