Titanium terephthalate (TT-1) hybrid materials with high specific surface area

A porous inorganic-organic titanium terephthalate (TT-1) based hybrid material is prepared using a solvothermal synthesis without templates. The nitrogen physisorption measurements show a combination of type IV and type I isotherms with a broad pore size distribution and a high specific BET surface area of S-g = 534 m(2) g(-1). The material has predominately mesopores (BJH pore volume = 0.54 cm(3) g(-1)), with a small amount of micropores (specific micropore volume V-g = 0.11 cm(3) g(-1)). The IR and solid state C-13 MAS NMR spectra indicate coordination of the terephthalate ligand to Ti4+ ions and the ligand is a building block of the TT-1 hybrid material. The energy difference of 189 and 160 cm(-1) between nu(asym)(COO-) and nu(sym)(COO-) indicates monodentate and bridging coordination of the terephthalate group, respectively. According to X-ray powder diffraction patterns TT-1 is amorphous. Upon heat treatment at 400 degrees C crystallisation of anatase and a significant loss of the specific surface area is detected.