Controlled synthesis of ordered mesoporous C-TiO2 nanocomposites with crystalline titania frameworks from organic-inorganic-amphiphilic coassembly

Highly ordered mesoporous carbon-titania nanocomposites with nanocrystal-glass frameworks have been synthesized via the organic-inorganic-amphiphilic coassembly followed by the in situ crystallization technology. A soluble resol polymer was used as a carbon precursor, prehydrolyzed TiCl4 as an inorganic precursor, and triblock copolymer F127 as a template. The carbon-titania nanocomposites with controllable texture properties and composition can be obtained in a wide range from 20 to 80 wt% TiO2 by adjusting the initial mass ratios. The C-TiO2 nanocomposites with bricked-mortar frameworks exhibit highly ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructure and high thermal stability up to 700 degrees C. The nanocomposites have high surface area (465 m(2) g(-1)) and large pore size (similar to 4.1 nm). Additionally, the nanocomposites show good performance in degradation of Rhodamine B due to the photocatalytic activity of the titania nanocrystals and the strong adsorptive capacity of the glasslike carbon.