Microwave-assisted synthesis of porous carbon-titania and highly crystalline titania nanostructures

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2013 Mar;5(6):1948-54. doi: 10.1021/am302691f. Epub 2013 Mar 11.

Abstract

Porous carbon-titania and highly crystalline titania nanostructured materials were obtained through a microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis. Resorcinol and formaldehyde were used as carbon precursors, triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 as a stabilizing agent, and titanium isopropoxide as a titania precursor. This microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis involved formation of carbon spheres according to the recently modified Stöber method followed by hydrolysis and condensation of titania precursor. This method afforded carbon-titania composite materials containing anatase phase with specific surface areas as high as 390 m(2) g(-1). The pure nanostructured titania, obtained after removal of carbon through calcination of the composite material in air, was shown to be the anatase phase with considerably higher degree of crystallinity and the specific surface area as high as 130 m(2) g(-1). The resulting titania, because of its high surface area, well-developed porosity, and high crystallinity, is of great interest for catalysis, water treatment, lithium batteries, and other energy-related applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Microwaves*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Porosity
  • Titanium / chemistry*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • titanium dioxide
  • Carbon
  • Titanium