Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity
We evaluate the influence of the use of different titania precursors, calcination rate, and ligand addition on the morphology, texture and phase content of synthesized mesoporous titania samples, parameters which, in turn, can play a key role in titania photocatalytic performances. The powders, obta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2014-07-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/4/3/583 |
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| author | Elisabetta Masolo Manuela Meloni Sebastiano Garroni Gabriele Mulas Stefano Enzo Maria Dolors Baró Emma Rossinyol Agnieszka Rzeszutek Iris Herrmann-Geppert Maria Pilo |
| author_facet | Elisabetta Masolo Manuela Meloni Sebastiano Garroni Gabriele Mulas Stefano Enzo Maria Dolors Baró Emma Rossinyol Agnieszka Rzeszutek Iris Herrmann-Geppert Maria Pilo |
| author_sort | Elisabetta Masolo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We evaluate the influence of the use of different titania precursors, calcination rate, and ligand addition on the morphology, texture and phase content of synthesized mesoporous titania samples, parameters which, in turn, can play a key role in titania photocatalytic performances. The powders, obtained through the evaporation-induced self-assembly method, are characterized by means of ex situ X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) measurements, N2 physisorption isotherms and transmission electron microscopy. The precursors are selected basing on two different approaches: the acid-base pair, using TiCl4 and Ti(OBu)4, and a more classic route with Ti(OiPr)4 and HCl. For both precursors, different specimens were prepared by resorting to different calcination rates and with and without the addition of acetylacetone, that creates coordinated species with lower hydrolysis rates, and with different calcination rates. Each sample was employed as photoanode and tested in the water splitting reaction by recording I-V curves and comparing the results with commercial P25 powders. The complex data framework suggests that a narrow pore size distribution, due to the use of acetylacetone, plays a major role in the photoactivity, leading to a current density value higher than that of P25. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:14:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6490e296ef6847cca263552fe804d75e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:14:34Z |
| publishDate | 2014-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-6490e296ef6847cca263552fe804d75e2022-12-22T02:10:25ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912014-07-014358359810.3390/nano4030583nano4030583Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic ActivityElisabetta Masolo0Manuela Meloni1Sebastiano Garroni2Gabriele Mulas3Stefano Enzo4Maria Dolors Baró5Emma Rossinyol6Agnieszka Rzeszutek7Iris Herrmann-Geppert8Maria Pilo9Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyDepartament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, SpainServei de Microscòpia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, SpainHelmholtz Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Materials Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, GermanyHelmholtz Centre Geesthacht, Institute for Materials Research, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, GermanyDepartment of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari, ItalyWe evaluate the influence of the use of different titania precursors, calcination rate, and ligand addition on the morphology, texture and phase content of synthesized mesoporous titania samples, parameters which, in turn, can play a key role in titania photocatalytic performances. The powders, obtained through the evaporation-induced self-assembly method, are characterized by means of ex situ X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) measurements, N2 physisorption isotherms and transmission electron microscopy. The precursors are selected basing on two different approaches: the acid-base pair, using TiCl4 and Ti(OBu)4, and a more classic route with Ti(OiPr)4 and HCl. For both precursors, different specimens were prepared by resorting to different calcination rates and with and without the addition of acetylacetone, that creates coordinated species with lower hydrolysis rates, and with different calcination rates. Each sample was employed as photoanode and tested in the water splitting reaction by recording I-V curves and comparing the results with commercial P25 powders. The complex data framework suggests that a narrow pore size distribution, due to the use of acetylacetone, plays a major role in the photoactivity, leading to a current density value higher than that of P25.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/4/3/583titaniaEISA methodpowdersphotocatalysiswater splitting |
| spellingShingle | Elisabetta Masolo Manuela Meloni Sebastiano Garroni Gabriele Mulas Stefano Enzo Maria Dolors Baró Emma Rossinyol Agnieszka Rzeszutek Iris Herrmann-Geppert Maria Pilo Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity Nanomaterials titania EISA method powders photocatalysis water splitting |
| title | Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity |
| title_full | Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity |
| title_fullStr | Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity |
| title_short | Mesoporous Titania Powders: The Role of Precursors, Ligand Addition and Calcination Rate on Their Morphology, Crystalline Structure and Photocatalytic Activity |
| title_sort | mesoporous titania powders the role of precursors ligand addition and calcination rate on their morphology crystalline structure and photocatalytic activity |
| topic | titania EISA method powders photocatalysis water splitting |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/4/3/583 |
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