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Simple Quaternary Templating Systems for Direct Synthesis of Unique SBA-15 Mesopore Frameworks Embedded with
Pengchao Qiao1, Ao Zhang1, Rui Sun1
1Key Laboratory for Anisotropy and Texture of Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819, Liaoning, China.
Abstract:
This work presents a simple P123-based quaternary templating system using titanyl sulfate (TS) as the TiO2 precursor and self-contained sulfuric acid as the catalyst (TS/TEOS/P123/H2O). A unique structural configuration of SBA-15-type mesopore frameworks embedded with high-content TiO2 nanoparticles can be directly obtained. Even with a high TiO2 content (29.1 wt %), well-defined mesostructures free of pore blocking can be secured. A new structural formation mechanism is unveiled: a self-assembly process between inorganic species and P123 micelles yields ordered mesostructures catalyzed by self-contained TS in the low-temperature step, while sol-gel reaction and crystallization of TS coincide with processes of mesostructural re-organization and partial evacuation of P123 from mesopores. The incorporation of high-content TiO2 nanoparticles into mesopore frameworks mainly happens during the hydrothermal treatment step. Not surprisingly, thanks to well-defined mesostructures containing high-content accessible TiO2 nanoparticles, such TiO2/SBA-15 composites show high activity and good reusability in photodegrading Rhodamine B and humic acids and photoreducing highly toxic Cr6+ in water under UV irradiation.
