Solvothermal sol–gel synthesis of TiO2-cellulose nanocrystalline composites

Abstract

Due to its unique supramolecular structure, cellulose is widely used as a template agent, ensuring an easy structuring of anatase TiO2 particles with subsequent release after the organics burning. This work is devoted to the synthesis of microcrystalline cellulose-TiO2 (MCC-TiO2) composite photocatalyst by preserving the intermediate organic-inorganic structures. A series of the MCC-TiO2 materials were prepared via solvothermal sol-gel method in n-decane and caproic acid solvents and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy, 1 Н NMR and TG/DSC methods. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared materials was evaluated by the decomposition of formic acid in aqueous solutions. The composites failed to be formed in n-decane, while in caproic acid, acting as solvent and reagent, anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were formed onto the crystalline domains of cellulose, tightly fixed due to covalent Ti-O-C bonds. The materials formed in caproic acid showed a higher photocatalytic activity, explained by a complementarity of the organic and inorganic components. The specific activity (normalized on TiO2 mass) of best synthetized composite materials was almost twice higher than that of Aeroxide P25 TiO 2 reference photocatalyst.

Two-Dimensional Titanium Dioxide–Surfactant Photoactive Supramolecular Networks: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications for the Conversion of Light Energy

“…However, in recent years, titania supramolecular hybrid photocatalysts have been receiving increasing attention. For example, the dispersion of TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) on microfibrillated-cellulose-based substrates and the decoration of nanowhiskers (CN) on CN–TiO 2 core–shell materials [ 9 ] has led to flexible UV-active photocatalysts [ 7 , 8 , 10 ]. Supramolecular sensitization of TiO 2 by thiolated β-cyclodextrin in the TiO 2 -Au NC–β-CD system has also been reported [ 11 ].…”