A simple, template-free route for the synthesis of bicrystalline mesoporous TiO2 materials

A simple, low-temperature and green template-free synthetic route has been used to prepare mesoporous TiO2 with anatase and brookite bicrystalline framework. This route combines a quick hydrolysis at ambient temperature and sequent hydrothermal treatment at 80-180 egrees C without further calcination. The resultant materials were characterized by XRD, TEM and nitrogen adsorption. It was found that the wormhole-like mesostructure and the bicrystalline framework could be formed in the hydrothermal treatment, and high surface areas of 160-250 m2 x g(-1) could be obtained due to the avoidance of calcination at high temperature. The effect of hydrothermal temperature on mesoporosity and crystallinity was also investigated and discussed. The as-prepared TiO2 samples exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than pure anatase TiO2 and corresponding calcined samples in the degradation of methyl orange, which can be attributed to the combined effect of composite crystalline phase and high surface area.