Study on the synthesis of high-surface-area mesoporous TiO2 in the presence of nonionic surfactants

Mesoporous titanium dioxide has been prepared using a nonionic block copolymer (Pluronic P-123) as the structure-directing agent. A detailed characterization of the TiO2 materials so prepared indicates that a locally ordered mesostructure with high surface area and narrow pore size distribution is obtained under controlled synthesis conditions. The roles of the main factors affecting the synthesis have been studied, including the hydrolysis ratio (H2O/alkoxide molar ratio), the type of solvent, the surfactant concentration, and the titanium source. These variables influence the final properties of the inorganic oxide by directing the type of interactions between the species involved in the process. Thus, a variety of mesoporous TiO2 materials with different properties can be effectively obtained by adjusting the synthesis conditions. Moreover, the pore walls of the materials prepared are formed by incipient nanocrystallites of anatase, which is a significant achievement regarding the possible photocatalytic applications of these mesoporous TiO2 solids.