Synthesis of mesostructure anatase TiO2 particles in room-temperature ionic liquids

This paper reports a novel preparation of Mesostructure anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and monodisperse spheres with high surface area. In this synthesis we use 1-(2-hydroxylethyl)-3 -methylimidazolium based room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as solvents via the sol-gel method at low temperature. The product was analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), N-2 adsorption and desorption. The mechanism was also discussed. It was believed that the RTILs played an important role as a self-assembling template and the high surface area of the samples is thought to mainly attribute to the formation of mesopores with crystallinity in the reaction. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.