The role of the ionic liquid C6C1ImTFSI in the sol–gel synthesis of silica studied using in situ SAXS and Raman spectroscopy

The sol–gel synthesis of a silica based ionogel using the ionic liquid 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (C6C1ImTFSI) as the solvent has been followed in situ by combined μ-focused X-ray scattering and μ-Raman spectroscopy. By covering the momentum transfer range 0.