Surface modification of titania aerogel films by oxygen plasma treatment for enhanced dye adsorption

• Titania aerogels synthesized by sol–gel route followed by subcritical drying technique.
• Titania crystallized in anatase phase and possesses a surface area of 252 m2/g.
• Titania aerogel thin film was modified with 50 W oxygen plasma for 5, 10, and 15 min.
• Plasma treatment enhanced the amount of dye adsorption.
• The nanoporous morphology of titania aerogel is preserved after plasma treatment.

Titania aerogels were synthesized by sol–gel route followed by ambient pressure subcritical drying technique. The aerogels synthesized in the present work possess a maximum surface area of 252 m2/g. The pore size distribution is between 2 and 30 nm which confirms their mesoporosity. The oxygen plasma treatment on titania aerogel thin films improved the surface area up to 273 m2/g and produced additional hydrophilic groups on the surface. It is confirmed by BET surface area, XPS and thermal analysis in conjunction with dye adsorption studies. After plasma treatment the dye adsorption capacity was increased 2.5 times higher than that of untreated aerogel film. The increased surface area and the hydrophilic groups generated on the titania aerogel surface during plasma treatment are responsible for enhanced dye adsorption. The overall nanoporous morphology of titania aerogel is preserved after plasma treatment.

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