2.0 g (5.5 mmol) CTAB was mixed with 480 g (26.7 mmol) of millipore water and 7 mL, 2.0 M NaOH solution. The solution was stirred for 30 min at 80 °C before the addition of 11.3 mL (50.6 mmol) tetraethoxysilane into it. The mixture was stirred moderately for 2 h at 80 °C. The solution was filtered and the precipitate was washed with 40 mL millipore water four times, followed by ethanol and dried under air for 4 h.