Characterization and Mechanism Elucidation of Nano-TiO₂ Composites Prepared by Gaseous Detonation Method

In this study, a series of nano-TiO₂ composite materials, including nano-TiO₂, nano-SnO₂/TiO₂, nano-SiO₂/TiO₂, and nano-Fe₂O₃/TiO₂, were successfully synthesized via the gaseous detonation method. Comprehensive characterization of the synthesized samples was carried out through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy/high-resolution TEM (TEM/HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, which unveiled the significant influence of precursor types on the microstructure of the composite materials. Specifically, the incorporation of Sn⁴⁺ promoted the transformation of TiO₂ to the rutile phase, reducing particle sizes from 25 to 19 nm and increasing the specific surface area from 44 to 86 m²/g. In contrast, the introduction of SiO₂ impeded the rutile phase formation, leading to a marked reduction in particle size to 14 nm and an enhancement of the specific surface area to 104 m²/g. Furthermore, the presence of Fe³⁺ promoted the formation of the rutile phase and enabled particle growth to 44 nm. These findings not only deepen the understanding of structural control in the synthesis of nano-TiO₂ composite materials via the gaseous detonation method but also highlight the critical role of precursor selection in determining the properties of the resulting materials.