“…Silica nanoparticles have received attention for a variety of applications, such as in catalysis, pigments, thin-film substrates, thermal insulators, pesticides, food additives, drug delivery, gene therapy, molecular imaging and additives in plastics [1][2][3]. Silicon is ubiquitous and is the second most abundant element on Earth; it is commonly present in both crystalline and amorphous states as silicon dioxide (silica; SiO 2 ).…”