Synthesis of thermally stable and highly ordered bicontinuous cubic mesoporous titania–silica binary oxides with crystalline framework

Highly ordered bicontinuous cubic mesoporous titania–silica binary oxides were synthesized via evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET surface area and BJH pore-size distribution have been used to determine the mesostructrues and properties of the samples. The resultant materials are thermally stable (up to 600 °C), and show high surface areas (110–234 m2/g), uniform pore diameters (∼3.3 nm). And the pore wall framework is composed of anatase and minor rutile phases. The effects of acidity, water content in sol and heat treatment temperature on the formation and thermal stability of mesoporous structures were investigated. Photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light irradiation shows that the sample has a comparable photocatalytic activity with Degussa P25, and higher activity than pure TiO2.