Silicon oxide nanostructures which span the range from hydrophilic to hydrophobic have been synthesized. The surface chemistry of these silicon-based nanostructures was analyzed using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reflectance infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The dominant oxidation state for the nanostructured oxides shifts from an average oxidation state of +III to a combination of +II and +III oxidation states. A correlation of the ability to adsorb water with variations in the surface Si:O ratios was observed showing a transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic character. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.