Microcalorimetric Investigation of High-Surface-Area Mesoporous Titania Samples for CO2 Adsorption

Abstract

Mesoporous titania powders were synthesized using the triblock copolymer F127 (PEO(106)PPO(70)PEO(106)) as a surfactant template. Two different procedures (ammonia and/or low-temperature treatment at 393 K) were successfully applied to stabilize the mesoporous structure, resulting in significantly increased surface areas and pore volumes with respect to those of the untreated titania powders. Three of these samples were chosen for further investigation by adsorption microcalorimetry. These samples are characterized by high surface areas (varying between 340 and 141 m (2) g (-1)) and a varying degree of crystallization (anatase phase). The samples were compared to nanosized anatase particles treated to 873 K. The adsorption microcalorimetry was carried out using nitrogen and carbon dioxide at 77 and 303 K, respectively, to gain complementary information about the surfaces. Nitrogen at 77 K showed, for the three samples, adsorption enthalpies at low coverage of similar values, approximately -19 to -22 kJ mol (-1), indicating that the probe gas interacts with similar energetic surface sites. Two distinct energetic regions are observed, the first of which increases with increasing pretreatment temperature, which can be related to increased sample crystallinity. The adsorption of carbon dioxide at 303 K showed high adsorption enthalpies (up to approximately 65-80 kJ mol (-1)), highlighting strong interactions of the carbon dioxide with the titania surface at low pressures. Finally, the CO(2) adsorption properties of the titania samples (adsorbed amount and enthalpies of adsorption) are compared with those of other nanosized adsorbents. This comparison shows the potentiality of mesoporous titania powders for the adsorption of CO(2).