Synthesis of hierarchical mesoporous titania with interwoven networks by eggshell membrane directed sol–gel technique

Hierarchical mesoporous titania with interwoven networks was successfully prepared through a surface sol–gel process followed by a calcination treatment and using eggshell membrane (ESM) as the biotemplate. The biotemplating synthesis was systematically investigated by controlling calcination temperature (550–800 °C), heating rate (1–35 °C/min), impregnant pH value (1–3), and so on. Different from traditional immersion techniques, the nucleation, the growth, and the assembly of mesoporous TiO2 in our work depended more on some reactions involving ESM biomacromolecules. As-prepared ESM-morphic TiO2 was composed of intersectant fibers assembled by 6 nm nanocrystallites at 3D with hierarchical pores from 2 nm up to 8 μm.