Issue 29, 2008

Self-cleaning anatase nanorods: photocatalytic removal of structure directing agents and subsequent surface modification

Abstract

Anatase nanorods were synthesised via the non-hydrolytic condensation of TiCl4 and Ti(OPr)4 in the presence of trioctylphosphine oxide and dodecylamine as structure directing agents, to produce rod-like particles approximately 5 nm in diameter and 15 nm in length. The crystal structure was confirmed as pure anatase by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The as-prepared nanorods can be dispersed in organic solvents as a result of hydrophobic surface functionalities imparted during the synthesis. Subjecting nanorod suspensions in CHCl3water mixtures to UV irradiation leads to complete photocatalytic removal of surfactants from the TiO2 surface, enabling, in turn, transfer of the nanorods into the aqueous phase. Quaternary ammonium hydroxides were used to stabilise optically clear aqueous suspensions, through a combination of electrostatic and steric repulsion between particles; dispersions of individual nanorods are a prerequisite for many technological applications. Once ‘stripped’ of their organic ligands, the nanorods can be further functionalised using, for example, aminopropyltriethoxysilane to modify the isoelectric point, dispersibility, or photocatalytic activity; these effects are demonstrated by electrophoretic and dye degradation experiments.

Graphical abstract: Self-cleaning anatase nanorods: photocatalytic removal of structure directing agents and subsequent surface modification

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Mar 2008
Accepted
01 May 2008
First published
11 Jun 2008

J. Mater. Chem., 2008,18, 3448-3453

Self-cleaning anatase nanorods: photocatalytic removal of structure directing agents and subsequent surface modification

U. Vukičević, S. (. Ziemian, A. Bismarck and M. S. P. Shaffer, J. Mater. Chem., 2008, 18, 3448 DOI: 10.1039/B804468F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements