High-surface-area titania aerogels: preparation and structural properties

Abstract

High-surface-area titania has been prepared via an acid-catalysed alkoxide-sol-gel-aerogel route. The effect of both the amount of acid added and the manner of acid addition have been studied. In the parameter field investigated no significant influence on the resulting morphological properties (crystallinity, crystallite size, surface area, porosity) was observed.

The highly mesoporous titania has a B.E.T. surface area of nearly 200 m² g^–1 after calcination in flowing air at 623 K and is made up of well developed anatase crystallites of ca. 7 nm in size.