Mesoporous silica–titania composed materials

Titania mesosized particles were obtained by TiCl4 hydrolysis in Aerosol OT/water/n-hexane microemulsion. These particles were incorporated in surfactant templated silica mesoporous materials of MCM-41 and MCM-50 structures. Results depended on the surfactant: hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide templated materials retained the honeycomb structure with small modifications in their characteristics. The dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide templated material changed from honeycomb to lamellar structure when the titania particles were included, with dramatic changes in the structure characteristics. The didodecyldimethylammonium bromide templated lamellar structure was retained after TIO2 inclusion, with a slight increase in the specific area, pore diameter and pore walls thickness.

Graphical abstractTitania particles were sinthesized with Cl4Ti in an inverse microemulsion Aerosol OT/n-hexane/water. The titania particles were then included in the sinthesis of mesoporous silica materials. The obtained materials were characterised by electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption. The inclusion of titania produced changes in the structure, specific area and wall thickness of the resulting material.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide