Preparation of TiO2 microspheres with flower-like morphology through a water-in-oil emulsion route assisted by solvothermal treatment

• Published in: Particuology 2016-12, Vol.29 (6), p.172-176
• Main Authors: Chang, Ying, Liu, Bei, Wang, Huihu, Wu, Chonggang, Yan, Ming, Dong, Shijie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Photocatalytic activity; TiO2 microspheres; TiO2粉末; Water-in-oil emulsion; 乳化油; 介孔TiO2; 制备; 合成路线; 场发射扫描电子显微镜; 微球; 溶剂热处理
• ISSN: 1674-2001; 2210-4291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.partic.2016.05.004

Mesoporous TiO2 microspheres with flower-like morphology, high specific surface area, and high- crystallinity primary crystalline-phase of anatase have been prepared through a water-in-oil emulsion synthesis route assisted by solvothermal treatment. The as-prepared powder microspheres, as well as their precursor, were characterized by various techniques. Thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis indicated that the optimal sintering temperature of the TiO2 precursor was 550 ℃. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and X-ray diffractionjointly confirmed that the precursor powder with a spherical structure and main particle sizes ranging from 3 to 20 μm had the same primary crystalline-phase as the TiO2 microspheres obtained from the calcination of the precur- sor at 550 ℃ for 4 h. The specific surface area of the TiO2 microspheres was approximately 123.6 m2/g according to the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller （BET） nitrogen adsorption results. Compared with the com- mercial TiO2 powder （P25）, the resulting TiO2 microspheres exhibited a higher photocatalytic activity. Based on the experimental results, a rational mechanism was proposed to elucidate the formation of the TiO2 microsoheres.