Chemical-template synthesis of micro/nanoscale magnesium silicate hollow spheres for waste-water treatment.

Micro/nanoscale magnesium silicate hollow spheres were synthesized by using silica colloidal spheres as a chemical template in one pot. The hollow spherical structure, consisting of well-separated nanoscale units, was microscale as a whole and could be easily handled in solution. The as-synthesized magnesium silicate hollow spheres with large specific surface area showed availability for the removal of organic and heavy-metal ions efficiently from waste water. Importantly, the micro/nanoscale magnesium silicate hollow spheres that had adsorbed organic pollutants could be regenerated by calcination and used repeatedly in pollutant removal. Magnesium silicate hollow spheres synthesized by a scaled-up chemical template method may have potential applications in removing cationic dyes and heavy-metal ions from waste water.