Facile Synthesis of Nanostructured Anatase Titania with Controllable Morphology via Oxidation of TiC with Hydrogen Peroxide

Abstract

Nanostructured anatase TiO2with controllable morphology has been fabricated via the oxidation of TiC with H2O2. At room temperature, the reaction of TiC with H2O2leads to dissolution of TiC into H2O2aqueous solution, producing an acidic solution. By drying the acidic solution at 80°C in air, an amorphous powder of polytitanic acid with oxalate ligands is obtained, and its morphology is found to rely on the reaction time. By annealing the amorphous acidic powder atT> 350°C, the nanostructured anatase TiO2with controllable morphology is generated. Depending on the oxidation time, the morphology can be fabricated as sponge-like shape, flower-like shape, spongy balls, and so forth. The nanostructured anatase TiO2is stable under the heating treatments until 900°C, and its morphology can be tuned to the nanocrystalline grains. In addition to the annealing way, rice-shaped anatase nanocrystals can be directly formed by aging the acidic solution under ambient conditions.