Preparation of nanosized titanium dioxide from titanium n-butoxide modified with tartaric acid and its influence on the phase transformation

A novel and simple method for preparing nanosized TiO2 was developed by hydrolysis of titanium n-butoxide (Ti(OR)4) modified with tartaric acid. The TiO2 powders were characterized by differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA-TG), X-ray, transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed the crystallinity of rutile was improved upon tartaric acid modified titanium n-butoxide. Moreover, tartaric acid prohibited the formation of anatase phase.