Synthesis of bimodal porous structured TiO2 microsphere with high photocatalytic activity for water treatment

In this work bimodal structured titanium dioxide (TiO₂) microsphere has been prepared from commercial TiO₂ powder and nano-sized titania gel via sol–gel spray-coating technique. Crystallization and transformation behavior of titania gel were investigated. The results revealed that the crystallization and transformation of anatase particles were substantially affected by the concentration of solvent and calcination temperature. Anatase crystallite size of 10 nm was obtained at mole ratio of solvent/precursor 50/1 and calcination temperature of 450 °C. The prepared nano-sized titania gel was embedded within the core (commercial TiO₂, P25) during the spraying process. The prepared TiO₂ microsphere was characterized using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission electron microscope (FESEM) and micropore analysis. The photocatalytic activity was monitored by following the degradation of phenol with activity benchmarked against commercial P25 (Degussa). The increase of photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ microsphere was attributed to the nano-sized anatase crystallite which has been incorporated into the TiO₂ microsphere.     

Microstructure and Photocatalytic Property of SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Under Various Process Condition

Nanophase silica-titania particles were prepared by two different synthetic routes, namely, sol–gel and hydrothermal processing. The crystallinity and crystallographic phases, particle size and surface area of the materials were controlled by varying the calcination temperature, and/or the ratio of Si to Ti. It was determined by XRD that the crystallite sizes of SiO₂-TiO₂ prepared by sol–gel and hydrothermal processing decreased from 11 to 6 nm and 12 to 9 nm, respectively, as the mole fraction of silica was increased from 0.1 to 0.4. It is proposed that the presence of the amorphous silica suppresses the growth of anatase TiO₂ grains and their phase transformation to rutile. The photocatalytic decomposition rate of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB) in aqueous solution with the sol–gel derived SiO₂-TiO₂ powder prepared at 750 °C was about 10 ± 5% higher than that observed with Degussa P25, whereas the SiO₂-TiO₂ samples prepared by hydrothermal processing at 250 °C showed a slightly lower decomposition rate than P25.     

Synthesis and Microstructural Properties of Fe-TiO2 Nanocrystalline Particles Obtained by a Modified Sol-Gel Method

A series of iron/titanium oxide nanocrystalline particles with Fe/Ti molar ratios up to 0.15 were synthesized by a modified sol-gel technique using Ti(IV)-isopropoxide and anhydrous Fe(II)-acetate. The precursors were mixed and subsequently hydrolyzed with water molecules generated in situ by an esterification reaction between acetic acid and ethanol. As-synthesized samples were amorphous for XRD, independently of the relative amount of doped iron. The undoped samples and samples with the molar ratio Fe/Ti = 0.01, treated at up to 500°C, contained anatase as the dominant phase and rutile as the minor phase. The samples with the Fe/Ti molar ratio of 0.15, treated at the same temperature, contained anatase (major phase), rutile (minor phase) and a very small amount of an unidentified phase. The crystallite size of the dominant phase in the samples was estimated from the XRD line broadening using the Scherrer formula. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that weight loss was accelerated and completed at lower temperatures as the relative concentration of iron in the Fe-TiO₂ samples increased. The strong exothermic peak in the DTA curve between 300 and 450°C in the undoped TiO₂ sample shifted to the lower temperatures and became much more asymmetrical with increased iron doping. This DTA peak corresponded to the amorphous-to-anatase-transition and it included several steps such as (i) the thermal degradation of strongly bound organic molecules, (ii) the condensation of unhydrolyzed –OR groups, (iii) the sintering and growth of particles and (iv) the rearrangement of newly formed chemical bonds. The center of the most intense Raman band of the E _g mode at 143.8 cm^–1 in the undoped TiO₂ sample continually shifted to higher wave numbers and the full-width at half maximum increased with iron doping. Transmission electron microscopy revealed decrease of the mean particle size from 16.3 nm in undoped sample to 9.7 nm in the highest iron doped sample. The particle size distribution becomes narrower with iron doping. The narrowest particle size distribution was found in sample with the Fe/Ti molar ratio of 0.05, calcined at 500°C. Scanning electron microscopy of undoped samples calcined at 580°C showed irregular aggregates having a relatively flat surface. On the contrary, the samples doped with 15 mol% of iron and treated at the same temperature exhibited a non-uniform sponge-like surface with distributed micrometer holes.     

溶胶法制备的二氧化硅与二氧化钛复合薄膜的性能

在室温下, 采用溶胶法在玻璃基板上制备了厚度约为100 nm的均匀、透明的纳米SiO2-TiO2复合薄膜.研究了不同温度处理后薄膜的超亲水性、光催化能力等光致活性.通过XPS对薄膜表面及近表面元素的化学态的研究发现, Ti在表面及近表面不仅以Ti4＋形式存在, 也存在少量Ti3＋.紫外光照射后, 部分Ti4＋ 转变成了Ti3＋. XRD研究表明, 该薄膜中的TiO2主要以锐钛矿形式存在, 而且其晶粒大小为14～20 nm.用AFM研究了SiO2-TiO2薄膜的表面形貌及不同的温度处理对TiO2颗粒大小的影响.     

Preparation and Characterization of Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) Xerogels

Mg2SiO4 gels were prepared from alkoxide precursors, and the formation of the forsterite crystal phase was studied after heat treatments up to 1200°C. Prehydrolyzed TEOS in solution with 2-methoxyethanol was mixed with Mg(OEt)2, and the solution was hydrolyzed using excess water. The resultant gels were dried at 100°C to form xerogels which were subsequently powdered. These powders were characterized using thermal analysis (DTA and TGA), surface area analysis (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).DTA and XRD indicated that forsterite crystallized at 770°C, and by 1000°C the powders were predominantly crystalline. BET gave powder surface areas between 400 and 550 m2 g–1. TEM revealed angular particles with sizes between 0.2 and 2 m. The low temperature of crystallization of forsterite indicates a high degree of intimate mixing between the precursor alkoxides, although XRD indicated some degree of inhomogeneity.     

Preparation of nanostructured titania thin films by sol–gel technology

This study is concerned with the preparation of hydrolytically active heteroligand complex [Ti(OC₄H₉)_3.61(O₂C₅H₇)_0.39] from titanium butoxide and acetylacetone and with the gel formation kinetics in a solution of this complex upon hydrolysis and polycondensation. Single-layer and double-layer thin films of a solution of this precursor were coated on polished silicon substrates using the dip-coating method. The crystallization of nanostructured titania films during the heat treatment of these xerogel coatings was studied using various protocols; the anatase–rutile phase transition temperature was found to depend on the film thickness. The effects of the precursor solution viscosity on the film thickness and crystallite size were determined.     

光促甲烷和水合成甲醇和氢催化剂的研究

用表面改性法制备TiO2/SiO2，以等体积浸渍法制备负载型复合半导体催化剂(MoO3,ZnO)-TiO2/SiO2，通过XRD、BET、TPR、IR、UV-Vis DRS和TPD等技术对材料的表面形态结构、吸光特性、化学吸附性能及光催化甲烷和水的反应性能进行了表征和分析。结果表明，MoO3-TiO2/SiO2和ZnO-TiO2/SiO2的表面物种均具有显著的量子尺寸效应，在表面分别形成Mo—O—Ti和Zn—O—Ti复合结构；MoO3和TiO2在载体表面的复合可提高对光能的利用率并可增强对甲烷的化学吸附性能， 结果使得MoO3-TiO2/SiO2的光催化反应性能明显优于ZnO-TiO2/SiO2；在固定床环隙反应器中，150℃MoO3-TiO2/SiO2光催化气相甲烷和水合成了目的产物甲醇和氢，甲醇的选择性达到87.3％。     

Thermal stability of anatase TiO2 aerogels

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) aerogels were prepared with sol–gel ambient pressure drying method by using titanium tetrachloride (TiCl₄) as precursor and tetraethoxysilane as modifier, calcinated at different temperature and characterized by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and small angle X‐ray scattering. The results showed that the TiO₂ aerogels remained amorphous under 500 °C, changed to anatase from 600 °C and further changed to rutile from 900 °C. Between 60 °C and 500 °C, the primary particles within the samples concentrated mainly upon small sizes, enlarged and diverged remarkably above 600 °C. The crystalline grains grew and agglomerated with the rise of the calcination temperature. The TiO₂ aerogels at a temperature higher than 800 °C have better stability than anatase because of the formation of partial Ti―O―Si bonds. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Formation of Anatase Nanocrystals in Sol-Gel Derived TiO2-SiO2 Thin Films with Hot Water Treatment

We have successfully prepared transparent and porous anatase nanocrystals-dispersed films by treating the sol-gel derived TiO₂-SiO₂ films containing poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, with hot water. This process was done at temperatures lower than 100°C under atmospheric pressure, and thus anatase nanocrystals-dispersed films can be formed on various kinds of substrates including organic polymers with poor heat resistance. The changes in structure and composition of the TiO₂-SiO₂ gel films with hot water treatment were related to the formation process of anatase nanocrystals in the TiO₂-SiO₂ gel films with hot water treatment. The formation of anatase nanocrystals was found to proceed to hydrolysis of Si–O–Ti bonds and dissolution of SiO₂ component. In addition, porous film structure formed by leaching of PEG with hot water treatment led to homogenous dispersion of anatase nonocrystals in the films.     

钛金属有机物热解制备TiO2-SiO2复合膜及其光催化活性研究

混有一定量SiO_2溶胶的钛金属有机化合物膜液通过旋液成膜法制备前驱物膜 ，经热解得到TiO_2-SiO_2复合膜。于610 ℃焙烧15min所得复合膜(Ti:Si=9:1)经 SEM，XRD，UV-vis和XPS研究表明，膜面由30 nm * 200 nm大小的晶体粒子组成， 结构致密，膜厚约200 nm，其可见光透过率为玻璃基质的80%，膜表面Ti~(3+)OH~- 的比值为1.06。对不同SiO_2含量的膜液凝胶进行DSC分析显示，少量的SiO_2就能 显著提高TiO_2锐钛矿型晶相的形成温度。膜的光催化活性研究表明一定量的Fe~ (3+)有利于提高膜的光催化活性，但是如果以氯化物的形式加入则对光催化反应不 利，铬的氯化物同样如此。另外，在钛金属有机物热解制备TiO_2-SiO_2复合膜中 ，溶胶SiO_2不利于光催化反应，但是它可以改善膜的耐磨性。     

纳米TiO2低温水解法的晶型控制合成及其表面织构的研究

分别以TiCl₄，Ti(NO₃)₄和Ti(SO₄)₂为前驱体，在低温和强酸性条件下，通过水解反应可控地合成了具有不同晶相组成，且比表面积较高的纳米TiO₂，并用XRD，TEM和N₂^-吸附脱附技术对其晶相、粒径大小、形貌及比表面积进行了表征。结果表明，钛离子在有Cl^-、NO₃^-存在的酸性溶液中水解，水解温度≤80 ℃，可以生成结晶良好的具有细小晶粒尺寸和较高比表面积的金红石型纳米TiO₂粉体，水解温度>80 ℃，反而有锐钛矿型TiO₂生成，而在有SO₄^2-存在的酸性溶液中，TiO₂样品的晶相组成不随水解温度的变化而改变，均为锐钛矿型，其比表面积可达300 m²·g^-1。     

二氧化钛系列光催化剂的拉曼光谱

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了TiO₂粉体和薄膜光催化剂.使用FT-Raman光谱和激光共聚焦拉曼光谱研究了粉体和薄膜的拉曼光谱,探讨了热处理条件、Fe³⁺掺杂和以硅胶为载体的薄膜化所引起的TiO₂结构变化.结果表明,TiO₂在350℃存在由无定形向锐钛矿相的转变,600℃下存在锐钛矿相向金红石相的转变,750℃下完全转变为金红石相;掺杂会引起TiO₂的晶格畸变,导致拉曼谱峰宽化;以硅胶为载体的TiO₂负载薄膜的部分拉曼谱峰与粉体相比,有一定的位移和宽化.     

Atomic Force Microscopy Study of TiO2 Films Obtained by the Sol-Gel Method

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to study the influence of thermal treatments on the structural and textural properties of the sol-gel TiO2 films obtained from Ti(OC3H7i)4. X-ray diffraction (XRD), ellipsometric and porosity measurements have also been made.The TiO2 sol-gel films were homogeneous, transparent and amorphous. Heat treatments in the 400–600°C range indicate that the films have a strong tendency to crystallization. The high initial homogeneity of the TiO2 films was preserved during the crystallization process. AFM shows that the thermally treated films exhibit uniform, monodispersed crystals.     

Researches on 2, 1, 3-thia- and selenadiazole

4-Hydroxy-, 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-, 4-hydroxy-7-methylbenzo-2,1,3-thiadiazoles are polymorphous.4-Hydroxybenzo-2,1,3-thiadiazole (I), 4-hydroxy-5-methyl- and 4-hydroxy-7-methylbenzo-2, 1, 3-thiadiazoles (II and III) melt at 114–115°, 110–112°, 100–102° C, respectively, after recrystallization from water [2–4], but after recrystallization from petrol ether [5] they melt at 128–129°, 124–125°, and 119–120° C [5]. In this connection we recrystallized these phenols repeatedly from petrol ether after recrystallizing them from water, and their melting points rose as expected [5]. On the other hand, the compounds with melting points 128–129°, 124–125°, 119–120° C (ex petrol ether), after repeated crystallization from water melted at 114–115°, 110–112°, 100–102° C, respectively.For Part XXXVIII see [1].     

On the Existence and Hydrolytic Stability of Titanosiloxane Bonds in the System: Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane-Water-Titaniumtetraethoxide

Heterometal materials based on glycidoxypropyltrialkoxysilane and titaniumalkoxide are used for optical applications and require a high homogeneity on the molecular level. The presence of heterometal titanosiloxanes, their distribution and hydrolytic stability should influence the homogeneity of these materials. 29Si and 17O NMR spectroscopy has been used to investigate sols with molar ratios Si : Ti = 1 and H2O : OR (H) = 0.5 – 2.0 and their gels after heat treatment at 130°C. The presence of Si—O—Ti bonds in sols with a low water content (H < 0.2) and in the corresponding gels was identified by the high-field shift of the 29Si NMR signals of T1 and T2 units of up to 2–3 ppm compared to corresponding signals of homo-condensed Si—O—Si bonds. The existence of Si—O—Ti bonds in the sols is supported by 17O NMR spectra which show a characteristic signal around 340 ppm. A cleavage of the Si—O—Ti bonds occurs with increasing water/OR ratio in the sols. The cleavage of the heterometal bonds and the building up of homo-condensed species leads to a separation into areas with predominantly Ti—O—Ti and Si—O—Si bonds resulting in a decreased molecular homogeneity of the materials.     

Synthesis of polytitanosiloxanes and their transformation to SiO2–TiO2 ceramic fibers

A one-pot synthesis of polytitanosiloxanes (PTS) and its transformation to SiO₂–TiO₂ ceramic fibers were investigated. PTS was prepared by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane followed by the reaction with bis(2,4-pentanedionato)titanium diisopropoxide in methanol in 33–95 SiO₂ mol %. PTS was considered to be a ladder- or sheet-type polymer consisting of Si? O? Si and Si? O? Ti linkages as a main chain with pendant hydroxyl and 2,4-pentanedionato groups. SiO–TiO ceramic fibers were prepared by the pyrolysis of SiO₂–TiO₂ precursor fibers, which were prepared by the dry spinning of PTS followed by steam treatment. The tensile strength was 610 MPa for the SiO₂–TiO₂ fibers (SiO₂/TiO₂ = 20) after the pyrolysis at 700₀C. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structural evolution during pyrolysis of sol-gel derived hybrid materials

Siloxane-titania materials have been prepared starting from diethoxydimethylsilane and titanium isopropoxide. The transparent starting gels can be described as nanocomposites formed with siloxane chains and TiO₂-based particles. The pyrolysis process under argon atmosphere up to 1600°C has been followed by various techniques such as infrared and solid state NMR spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction and Ti K-edge X-ray Absorption. Si-C bond cleavage begins at low temperature leading to redistribution reactions with the formation of new Si-O bonds. Crystallization of TiO₂ at low temperature is prevented and titanium carbide starts to form around 800°C. Samples pyrolyzed at 1600°C show the presence of SiO₂ and TiC crystalline phases.     

Characterization of Pore Structure and Coordination of Titanium in TiO(2) and SiO(2)-TiO(2) Sol-Pillared Clays

Titania sol-pillared clay (TiO(2) PILC) and silica-titania sol-pillared clay (SiO(2)-TiO(2) PILC) were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Supercritical drying (SCD) and treatment with quaternary ammonium surfactants were used to tailor the pore structure of the resulting clay. It was found that SCD approach increased the external surface area of the PILCs dramatically and that treatment with surfactants could be used to tailor pore size because the mesopore formation in the galleries between the clay layers follows the templating mechanism as observed in the synthesis of MCM-41 materials. Highly mesoporous solids were thus obtained. In calcined TiO(2) PILC, ultrafine crystallites in anatase phase, which are active for photocatalytic oxidation of organics, were observed. In SiO(2)-TiO(2) PILCs and their derivatives, titanium was highly dispersed in the matrix of silica and no crystal phase was observed. The highly dispersed titanium sites are good catalytic centers for selective oxidation of organic compounds. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Effects of Heat Treatment on Photocatalytic Property of Sol-Gel Derived Polycrystalline TiO2

Polycrystalline TiO₂ in the bulk form was prepared by hydrothermal treatment of amorphous TiO₂ gel, and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of ethanol and physical properties were investigated after drying and calcination (300–650°C). The maximum photocatalytic activity reached when the polycrystalline TiO₂ was calcinated at temperatures from 300 to 500°C, which was almost the same as for a commercial TiO₂ powder. It was markedly reduced above 600°C. Photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ was affected by crystal growth of anatase, progress of sintering, anatase-rutile transformation and morphology of the polycrystalline TiO₂. It was a characteristic of the polycrystalline TiO₂ prepared in this study that the photocatalytic activity did not vary so much with the calcination temperature in the range of 300–500°C.     

Pyrolysis study of sol-gel derived TiO2 powders: Part IV. TiO2-anatase prepared by hydrolysing titanium(IV) isopropoxide without chelating agents

An amorphous TiO₂ gel was obtained by hydrolysing titanium(IV) isopropoxide with a stoichiometric amount of water using SnCl₂ as catalyst. In these operative conditions, a TiO₂ gel matrix containing a lower fraction of organic residual was obtained with respect to samples prepared by previously modifying the titanium alkoxide precursor with chelating ligands. Dried gel powders were characterized by N₂ adsorption analyses, FT-IR and XRD measurements. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) coupled with mass spectrometric (MS) and gas chromatographic (GC) measurements were performed in order to identify the organic products released from TiO₂ gel pyrolysis. The Tg-MS semiquantitative analysis of the main evolved species allowed to describe both the chemical composition of the initial TiO₂ gel and the chemical rearrangements occurring in the matrix during heating up to its crystallisation to anatase form at 420°C.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.