Silica due to its large inorganic amorphous wall and hydrophilic surface properties renders its suitability for designing different varieties of organic–inorganic silica-based materials. Characterization of such hybrid silica-based materials is one of the fascinating as well as challenging topics to be covered. Surface analysis of these hybrid materials can be done utilizing various techniques, out of which X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), 29Si Solid-state Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is the most ideal ones. Thus, before analyzing these silica materials, it requires a massive study on its sample preparation for appropriate characterization of the organic molecules present in the inorganic network. Hence, this chapter will give a brief elucidation of the sample preparation techniques for analyzing the hybrid materials utilizing the above instrumentation techniques.
Advanced Sample Preparation Techniques for Surface Spectroscopy Analysis of Organic: Inorganic Hybrid Silica Particles