Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Neutron scattering experiments have been performed to study the structure and dynamics of three preparations of silica: a dense glass (fused quartz), a flame-hydrolyzed aggregate (Cab-O-Sil, grade M5) and a polymeric aerogel. The experiments were performed on the three materials at temperatures selected from 300, 77 and 4.2 K. Neutron inelastic scattering was measured at Q = 2.5, 2.9 and 4.0 Å−1.
The elastic scattering indicates a systematic decrease in positional correlations on progressing from fused quartz through Cab-O-Sil to aerogel. The inelastic scattering was analyzed with the Buchenau model [1] to obtain the sample, Q and temperature dependences of the density of states, g(v). In the aerogel g(v) increases with temperature at frequencies greater than 1.5 THz and is enhanced at Q = 2.5 Å−1. Thus a complete explanation of the inelastic scattering from aerogels must account for multiphonon processes, local antiphase motions and anharmonic effects.