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

Chang, Y., Liu, B., Wang, H., Wu, C., Yan, M., & Dong, S. (2016). Preparation of TiO2 microspheres with flower-like morphology through a water-in-oil emulsion route assisted by solvothermal treatment. Particuology, 29, 172-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2016.05.004

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

Ying Chang ^{a b c *}, Bei Liu ^c, Huihu Wang ^{a b d}, Chonggang Wu ^{a b c}, Ming Yan ^{a b c}, Shijie Dong ^{a b d}

a Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
b Collaborative Innovation Center of Green Light-weight Materials and Processing, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
c School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
d School of Mechanical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China

10.1016/j.partic.2016.05.004

Volume 29, December 2016, Pages 172-176

Received 5 April 2016, Revised 5 May 2016, Accepted 9 May 2016, Available online 27 June 2016, Version of Record 18 November 2016.

E-mail: cy0025@mail.hbut.edu.cn

Highlights

• TiO₂ microspheres with flower-like morphology were synthesized through a w/o emulsion route.

• Microspheres before and after calcination had the same primary crystalline phase of anatase.

• The as-prepared microspheres had a higher photocatalytic activity than commercial TiO₂ (P25).

Abstract

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 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, laser particle size analysis, and X-ray diffraction jointly 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 precursor at 550 °C 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 commercial 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 microspheres.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

TiO₂ microspheres; Water-in-oil emulsion; Photocatalytic activity

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