Synthesis of nanodispersed anatase by tetrabutoxy titanium hydrolysis

Abstract

Nanodispersed titanium oxyhydrate was obtained by tetrabutoxy titanium hydrolysis in the presence of a chelating agent, acetylacetone. The introduction of a chelating agent to tetrabutoxy titanium hydrolysis in a water–ethanol mixture allows one to control the hydrolysis rate. According to X-ray powder diffraction data, amorphous titanium oxyhydrate after annealing at 400°C transforms to anatase, the crystallites of which are 6.2–8.4 nm in size. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the anatase particles are close to spheres 5–9 nm in diameter. The amorphous materials were studied by differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and mass spectrometric analysis of released gases. The benzene adsorption by the produced materials was determined. The nitrogen adsorption isotherms of two samples were constructed, and the specific surface area of the anatase particles and the pore size were found (148.5 and 98 m²/g, and 4.4 and 4.0 nm, respectively).