Abstract: A method for production of high specific surface area silica gel by hydrolysis of silicon tetrahalide, wherein a solution of silicon tetrahalide in a non-reactive solvent such as alcohol is mixed with water to produce silica gel having a high surface area and narrow pore diameter distribution especially suited for use as normal phase packing material in high performance chromatography columns. The water contains fluoride ions if the halide is chloride. Reverse phase packing material can be prepared by reacting the normal phase silica gel with organochlorosilanes to prepare bonded reverse phase material for use in high performance liquid chromotagraphy systems.