Abstract
The hydrolysis of ruthenium alkoxide/titanium tetraethoxide mixtures to gels and powders containing 30–40 mol% Ru was investigated. Basic or neutral conditions led to powders consisting of 2–10 nm diameter crystalline RuO 2 nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of crystalline (anatase) and amorphous TiO 2. Acid hydrolysis conditions gave gels containing smaller, amorphous RuO 2 nanoparticles (1–3 nm). In all samples the RuO 2 nanoparticles tended to clump into aggregates up to 0.5 μm across. Acid or neutral hydrolysis of ruthenium ethoxide gave samples which displayed lower surface Ru:Ti ratios as measured by XPS compared to the bulk (XRF), and also contained more low-valent Ru (as measured by XRF), probably due to incomplete hydrolysis of the precursors. These samples also contained more Ru metal after calcination (XRD). Calcination (450 °C) was accompanied by Ru-promoted combustion of organic material and led to crystalline (anatase) TiO 2 and Ti x Ru 1− x O 2 solid solution (rutile phase).
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