Titanium Butoxide Research Articles

Synthesis of hydrophobic biopolyesters from depolymerized Pinus radiata bark suberin

Abstract The bark of Pinus radiata offers an underutilized source of high-value renewable chemicals such as extractable polyphenols and lipophilic compounds (waxes and suberin). Here, the depolymerization and extraction of suberin from P. radiata bark and its repolymerization to form novel polyesters are reported. Three different strategies were evaluated for repolymerization of the suberin monomers, with starting materials and products characterized using chemical and thermal analysis techniques. The inclusion of comonomer (1,12-dodecanediol) to provide stoichiometric balance improved the conversion, product yield, solubility and increased molecular weight. Enzymatic polymerization conditions gave the highest yield, while the highest molecular weight was achieved using titanium butoxide, demonstrating that polymerization conditions could be varied to target desired product properties. Products were hydrophobic, as shown by contact angles, ϴ ≥ 90° after 30 s. This work highlights opportunities for utilizing suberin to add value to a P. radiata bark biorefinery concept. Potential future applications include its use as a starting material for novel bio-based polymers that can serve as water-repellent surfaces and coatings, replacing established products derived from fossil resources.

Submicron titania pattern fabrication via thermal nanoimprint printing and microstructural analysis of printable titania gels

Titania is a functional oxide used as a catalyst and photocatalyst, which has various applications. Modifying the surface morphology and creating micro patterns on titania can significantly enhance its catalytic efficiency and utility in semiconductor devices. This study focuses on the fabrication of submicron patterns on titania using thermal nanoimprinting. The process involves the preparation of a high-viscosity sol consisting of 2-butoxyethanol, titanium butoxide, ethylene glycol, and water, followed by drying on a substrate to obtain a printable titania gel. We investigated the structural characteristics of this printable titania gel using Fourier transform infrared thermal analysis and high-energy X-ray diffraction. These structural analyses shed light on the critical factors affecting the growth of the Ti–O network within the gel and the effect of the organic content of the gel on its properties.

Characterization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel method for NOx degradation

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film photocatalysts for the elimination of nitrogen oxides (NOx) were prepared by the dip-coating process using the sol–gel method. To prepare the sols, titanium (IV) butoxide (Ti(OBu)4), diethanolamine (DEA), butanol, and HCl were chosen. The TiO2 coatings were prepared using sols with varying volume ratios of Ti(OBu)4:DEA:Butanol. Additionally, three withdrawal speeds from the sol were employed. Subsequently, the TiO2 thin films were sintered at 500 and 700 °C. The obtained thin films were characterized using SEM to determine thickness, AFM to determine roughness, and the Step 500 platform for the adhesion test. NOx was found to be efficiently eliminated by TiO2 thin film photocatalyst. It is possible to obtain a TiO2 coating that is capable of degrading 300 ppb of NO in real time under specific conditions: a relative humidity of 30 %, a UV intensity of 20 W/m2, a gas flow rate of 1 dm3/min.

Hydrolysis co-deposition of bio-inspired hybrid hydrophilic network antifouling loose nanofiltration membrane for effective dye/salt separation

Nowadays, loose nanofiltration (LNF) membranes with effective filtration performance toward textile wastewater have drawn intensive attention. In this work, a high-performance LNF membrane was prepared via fast co-deposition of bio-inspired TA-based hydrophilic coating with in-situ hydrolysis of tetra butyl titanate (TBT) on polyethersulfone (PES) substrate. Various additives containing amino acid (l(+)-Arginine) and silane coupling agent (KH792) were mixed in the coating solution and researched their synergistic effects during membrane preparation. In-situ growth of TiO2 and co-deposition of TA-based coating endowed the LNF membrane with a uniformly rough hydrophilic surface. Therefore, the optimal LNF membrane showed a significantly high pure water permeability (92.9 L m−2 h−1·bar−1) with high rejection (>99.0 %) in treating negatively charged dyes including Eriochrome Black T, Congo Red, Chlorazol Black T, and Coomassie Brilliant Blue G. Meanwhile, low rejections for inorganic salts (Na2SO4: 7.9 %, NaCl: 2.5 %, MgCl2: 2.8 %, MgSO4: 7.3 %) were reached, and it kept distinguished separation performance in dealing with highly saline dye wastewater (containing 50 g L−1 NaCl and Na2SO4, respectively). Beyond that, the membrane had excellent antifouling properties with low flux decline of multiple model pollutants and stability during separation dye/salt mixture, which revealed the LNF membrane prepared promising potential in actual textile wastewater treatment.

Effect of calcination temperature of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on adsorption performance of doxycycline hydrochloride

In this work, titanium dioxide (TiO2) was synthesized at different calcination temperatures by sol-gel method using butyl titanate as raw material. The effect of calcination temperature on the crystallinity and adsorption properties of TiO2 were investigated at 300 °C, 450 °C and 600 °C, respectively. The characteristics of TiO2 were analysed by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption analyzer and zeta potential tester. The results showed that the crystal type, specific surface area and zeta potential of TiO2 nanoparticles changed with the increase of calcination temperature and the best performance of anatase crystals happened at the calcination temperature of 300 °C (TiO2@300) for doxycycline hydrochloride (DCH) adsorption. The equilibrium adsorption capacities of DCH was 28.97 mg/g with DCH removal rate of 86.92% at 0.03 g TiO2@300 addition in 100 ml 10 mg/L DCH solution. TiO2@300 could be a promising adsorbent.

An innovative synthesis of carbon-coated TiO2 nanoparticles as a host for Na+ intercalation in sodium-ion batteries.

In this work, an innovative route to synthesize an anatase TiO2@C composite is presented. The synthesis was conducted using a soft chemistry microwave-assisted method using titanium(IV) butoxide as a titanium precursor. The residual (un)converted titanium precursor remaining after TiO2 synthesis was used as a carbon precursor and thermally treated under H2 to obtain nanoparticles of the TiO2@C composite. A superior reversible specific capacity was obtained with TiO2@C (120 mA h g-1 at a C/20 rate, 3rd cycle) compared to that with pristine TiO2 (66.5 mA h g-1 at a C/20 rate, 3rd cycle), in agreement with the importance of carbon coating addition to TiO2 nanoparticles as negative electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

The cooperatively crosslinking between GO-COOH/TiO2 @PAO microcapsules and polyimide to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of PEEK/PI composites

The PEEK fabric-reinforced polyimide resin containing microcapsules with excellent mechanical and lubrication properties is reported. The GO-COOH/TiO2 @PAO double-wall microcapsules (Capsule) were prepared by interfacial condensation polymerization of titanium butoxide (TBT) and self-assembly between GO-COOH and TiO2 shell. A double crosslink of chemical bond (amide or ester) and hydrogen bond were constructed between microcapsules and polyimide (PI) to improve the mechanical properties of PEEK fabric-reinforced polyimide resin (PEEK/PI). It was identified that the addition of Capsules induced a 12.98% decrease in friction coefficient and 56.85% in the wear rate of the composites. This superior frictional behavior was primarily attributed to the combined effect of the boundary lubrication of PAO6, load-bearing effect of TiO2 and PEEK fabric, and friction-reducing of GO-COOH.

Acid-modulated synthesis of ultra-thin Ti-MWW zeolite nanosheets for the efficient epoxidation of cycloalkenes with tert-butyl hydroperoxide

The Ti-MWW zeolites with a layered morphology, synthesized by a conventional method, usually show low catalytic activities in the epoxidation of bulky alkenes due to the serious steric constraint imposed by the zeolite micropores and the adverse effects from some extra-framework octahedral Ti species. In the present work, the Ti-MWW zeolite was prepared by the reaction of an ultra-thin layered borosilicate MWW-type zeolite (D-ERB-1) with tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT) in a HNO3 aqueous solution, wherein D-ERB-1 was hydrothermally synthesized by introducing an organosilane into the synthetic gel. In combination with the results from extensive characterizations for the synthesized zeolites, it is found that the currently synthesized Ti-MWW zeolite without extra-framework octahedral Ti species has thinner nanosheets that are very helpful to the epoxidation of cycloalkenes with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), and is more active than the conventional Ti-MWW and other titanosilicate zeolites. Moreover, the developed catalyst is recyclable after the regeneration of the deactivated zeolite by washing with acetonitrile (MeCN). Therefore, the present work provides some guidance in the development of an efficient titanosilicate catalyst for the epoxidation of bulky alkenes.

Photocatalytic treatment of landfill leachate using CaTiO3 nanoparticles

Perovskite Calcium titanate (CaTiO3)is a versatile material that can be used in several applications, such as biomedicine, electronic devices, photocatalysis, and wastewater treatment.In this study, CaTiO3nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol–gel method at 600 °C with the help of tetra butyl titanate, calcium nitrate, and citric acid as chelating agents. FESEM and TEM analysis shows the synthesized nanoparticle has particle sizes of less than 26.23 and 23.71 nm respectively with a bandgap of 3.57 eV. By using DTA, TGA, XRD, FESEM, TEM, EDX, and UV–Vis, the thermal, structural, and optical properties were examined. Several studies examined the photocatalytic capabilities of CaTiO3for the photocatalytic treatment of simulated dye solution and wastewater produced by the textile industry. In this study, the CaTiO3 nanoparticles are used in the photocatalytic treatment of landfill leachate. The results are promising, showing a 72 % reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD),a 43.62 % decrease in colour,a 41.75 % improvement in turbidity, 59.01 % removal of total dissolved solids, and35.71 % removal of NH3-N from the landfill leachate under the optimum condition of 33 W UV irradiation for 8 h at a catalyst dose of 3.33 g/L and a pH of 6. After nano-photocatalytic treatment, the percentages of Cr, Ni, and Zn removed are 52.30 %, 63.46 %, and 87.50 %, respectively.

Insight into the synthesis and thermomechanical properties of “short‐long” type biobased aliphatic polyesters

AbstractA series of biobased “short‐long” chain aliphatic polyesters having high molecular weight were successfully synthesized using dimethyl sebacate and diols with different carbon chain lengths via a two‐step melt‐polycondensation method by using titanium butoxide as a catalyst. The diols chain length and its odd‐even effect on the structure–property relationship, crystallinity, and thermomechanical properties of the polyesters were systemically investigated. The synthesized polyesters displayed weight‐average molecular weight between 23,600 to 72,900 g/mol and a maximum intrinsic viscosity of 0.933 dL/g. With increasing the diol chain length, the molecular weight of the polyesters increased linearly, except for poly(butylene sebacate) (PBS). Altogether, the “odd‐even” effect of the diol chain on the crystalline (Tc)/melting temperature (Tm), and melting/ crystallization enthalpies of the polyester's were observed. Poly(pentylene sebacate) (PPeS) has the highest weight‐average molecular weight of 72,900 Da, Tm of ∼55.4°C, degradation temperature (Td,max) of about 404°C, and highest storage modulus (E′ at 25°C) of 661 MPa compared to other short‐chain polyesters. PBS and PPeS showed the appearance of sharp intensity peaks from XRD diffraction patterns, indicating higher crystallinity in the material, in accordance with crystallization enthalpies (ΔHc) values from the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms. These fabricated biobased polymers with 100% bio‐content, low melting temperature range, rapid crystallization, and high thermal stability suggest good processability and can offer an alternative option to nonrenewable thermoplastic polyesters for potential applications.

A facile preparation of g-C3N4/a-Fe2O3/TiO2 composite and its photocatalysis performance on the degradation of DNT/TNT under simulated sunlight

It has been difficult to solve the environmental problems caused by trinitrotoluene(TNT)/dinitrotoluene(DNT) containing explosive wastewater for decades. The advanced oxidation method based on photocatalysis and hydrogen peroxide has gained considerable popularity in the field of pollutant degradation. In order to find a coping strategy, using a simple method involving obtaining g-C3N4/Fe2O3(CNFe) by two-step calcination and then mixing butyl titanate and CNFe through a sol-gel pathway, a type of low-cost g-C3N4/Fe2O3/TiO2(CNFeTi) ternary composite was prepared and then characterized by SEM-EDS, IR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, XPS, UV-vis, etc. Using the prepared CNFeTi as catalyst, the effects of the amount of catalyst and H2O2 dosage on the photocatalytic degradation of DNT/TNT in aqueous solution have been investigated under simulated sunlight, with the reaction being tracked by UV-vis spectrophotometer. And from the results it was shown to have excellent photocatalytic performance. Under the conditions of 1.0 g·L−1 H2O2, 3.0 g·L−1 C3N4/Fe2O3/TiO2, 15 A current intensity of a Xenon light source and natural pH, 95% DNT and 91% TNT were removed after 30 min irradiation, indicating the proposed system has a high degradation rate. The CNFeTi catalyst could be reused at least five times and exhibited good stability.

Flame-assisted combustion preparation of highly efficient black TiO2 microspheres photocatalysts under visible light

Black TiO2 microspheres photocatalysts with high light absorption intensity and photosensitive activity were prepared by a simple two-step method of flame-assisted combustion hydrolysis of tetrabutylorthotitanate (TBOT) and NaBH4 reduction. The black TiO2 microspheres photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, EELS, and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The results show that the reduced TiO2 exhibits a unique core-shell composite structure with a large number of oxygen vacancies and defects in the outer layer due to Ti3+, which effectively reduces the band gap of the photocatalyst. Compared with the commercial P25 catalyst, B-TiO2 (1:7) showed higher removal of carbamazepine (CBZ) under visible light and its photocatalytic activity was 1.7 times higher than that of P25. This high photocatalytic activity is due to the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs, creating a greater number of active species. B-TiO2 (1:7) maintained high activity after five repeated cycles and achieved 89.7 % removal of CBZ.

Low temperature XPS of sensitive molecules: Titanium butoxide photoelectron spectra

XPS analysis of soft materials remains a challenging task, with sample degradation presenting itself across a wide range of different materials. Correct protocols when performing the experimental spectral acquisition will ensure minimal proliferation of errors in terms of scientific understanding during subsequent data treatments. Furthermore, XPS spectra of titanium butoxide will provide a valuable reference for the materials understanding of alkoxide based metal oxide and mixed-metal oxide functional systems.

Effect of B2O3 on the Structure, Properties and Antibacterial Abilities of Sol-Gel-Derived TiO2/TeO2/B2O3 Powders.

This paper studies the influence of B2O3 on the structure, properties and antibacterial abilities of sol-gel-derived TiO2/TeO2/B2O3 powders. Titanium(IV) butoxide, telluric(VI) acid and boric acid were used as precursors. Differences were observed in the degree of decomposition of Ti butoxide in the presence of H3BO3 and H6TeO6 acids. The phase transformations of the obtained gels in the temperature range of 200-700 °C were investigated by XRD. Composite materials containing an amorphous phase and different crystalline phases (metallic Te, α-TeO2, anatase, rutile and TiTe3O8) were prepared. Heating at 400 °C indicated a crystalline-to-amorphous-phase ratio of approximately 3:1. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed the preparation of plate-like TiO2 nanoparticles. The IR results showed that the short-range order of the amorphous phases that are part of the composite materials consists of TiO6, BO3, BO4 and TeO4 structural units. Free B2O3 was not detected in the investigated compositions which could be related to the better connectivity between the building units as compared to binary TiO2/B2O3 compositions. The UV-Vis spectra of the investigated gels exhibited a red shift of the cut-off due to the presence of boron and tellurium units. The binary sample achieved the maximum photodegradation efficiency (94%) toward Malachite green dye under UV irradiation, whereas the ternary sample photoactivity was very low. The compositions exhibited promising antibacterial activity against E. coli NBIMCC K12 407.

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2-carbon filter materials for water decontamination by adsorption-degradation processes

Wastewater treatment is becoming ever more challenging due to the increasing levels of molecular pollutants that are challenging for existing approaches. Innovative materials are required to help produce potable water from heavily contaminated water sources. One such material is titanium dioxide-activated carbon (TiO2/AC) heterostructures, which combine the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 with the adsorption properties of the ACs. To date, studies on TiO2/AC heterostructures for real-world water purification have yet to be performed. This study aimed to address this gap by comparing the effectiveness of titanium isopropoxide (Ti(OiPr)4) and titanium butoxide (Ti(OBu)4) for synthesizing TiO2/AC heterostructures using four different methods (sol-gel, solvothermal, and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods [x2]). The elaborated heterostructures were compared with commercial TiO2 materials for their ability to degrade five emerging contaminants (caffeine, hydrochlorothiazide, saccharin, sulfamethoxazole, and sucralose). Hydrochlorothiazide and sulfamethoxazole were demonstrated to be rapidly degraded by UV-C irradiation within 15 min. Caffeine, saccharin, and sucralose were less susceptible to UV degradation. All the elaborated TiO2/AC heterostructures consisted of pure anatase phase, with Ti(OBu)4 syntheses generating larger average crystal sizes and lower surface areas. Sol-gel preparations produced the most effective TiO2/AC heterostructures due to their high surface area. Compared with the commercial TiO2, the heterostructures enhanced the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by up to 10.0 times. Also, the heterostructures remained effective at environmentally relevant conditions (i.e., concentration of the contaminant and water matrices). The reuse of the materials was tested and showed no reduction in efficiency after four removal/regeneration cycles. Overall, this study presents novel TiO2/AC heterostructures with increased photocatalytic efficiency that can serve as an efficient material for removing contaminants at large scales (e.g., water treatment plants).

Impact of the Precursor on the Physicochemical Properties and Photoactivity of TiO2 Nanoparticles Produced in Supercritical CO2.

The synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in supercritical media has been reported over the last two decades. However, very few studies have compared the physicochemical characteristics and photoactivity of the TiO2 powders produced from different precursors, and even fewer have investigated the effect of using different ratios of hydrolytic agent/precursor (HA/P) on the properties of the semiconductor. To bridge this knowledge gap, this research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of TiO2 NPs obtained in a supercritical CO2 medium from four different TiO2 precursors, namely diisopropoxytitanium bis (acetylacetonate) (TDB), titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP), titanium (IV) butoxide (TBO), and titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide (TEO). Further, the effect of various HA/P ratios (10, 20, 30, and 40 mol/mol) when using ethanol as a hydrolytic agent has also been analyzed. Results obtained have shown that the physicochemical properties of the catalysts are not significantly affected by these variables, although some differences do exist between the synthesized materials and their catalytic performances. Specifically, photocatalysts obtained from TIP and TEO at the higher HA/P ratios (HA/P = 30 and HA/P = 40) led to higher CO2 photoconversions (6.3-7 µmol·g-1·h-1, Apparent Quantum Efficiency < 0.1%), about three times higher than those attained with commercial TiO2 P-25. These results have been imputed to the fact that these catalysts exhibit appropriate values of crystal size, surface area, light absorption, and charge transfer properties.

Enhanced Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution on Gd1.0/Ndx (x = 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0%)-Doped TiO2 Bimetallic Electrocatalysts

The work reports a facile synthesis of high thermally stable nanocrystalline anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) doped with different atomic concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6.0%) of Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions by a template-free and one-step solvothermal process, using titanium(IV) butoxide as a titanium precursor and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent. The structure and morphology of the Gd3+, Nd3+, and 0.5%Gd3+-0.5%Nd3+/doped TiO2 NPs have been characterized by using various analytical techniques. The Gd3+/ and Nd3+/TiO2 molar ratios were found to have a pronounced impact on the crystalline structure, size, and morphology of TiO2 NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies revealed the proper substitution of Ti4+ by Gd3+ and Nd3+ ions in the TiO2 host lattice. The as-prepared Gdx/TiO2, Ndx/TiO2, and Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs, x = 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, and 6%, have been investigated as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 1.0 M KOH solution using a variety of electrochemical techniques. At any doping percentage, the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs showed higher HER catalytic performance than their corresponding counterparts, i.e., Gdx/TiO2 and Ndx/TiO2. Upon increasing the Nd content from 0.5 to 6.0%, the HER catalytic performance of the Gd1.0/Ndx/TiO2 bimetallic NPs was generally enhanced. Among the studied materials, the bimetallic Gd1.0/Nd6.0/TiO2 NPs emerged as the most promising catalyst with an onset potential of −22 mV vs. RHE, a Tafel slope of 109 mV dec−1, and an exchange current density of 0.72 mA cm−2. Such HER electrochemical kinetic parameters are close to those recorded by the commercial Pt/C (onset potential: −15 mV, Tafel slope: 106 mV dec−1, and exchange current density: 0.80 mA cm−2), and also comparable with those measured by the most active electrocatalysts reported in the literature. The synergistic interaction of Gd and Nd is thought to be the major cause of the bimetallic catalyst’s activity.

Selective Thermal and Photocatalytic Decomposition of Aqueous Hydrazine to Produce H2 over Ag-Modified TiO2 Nanomaterial.

An Ag-modified TiO2 nanomaterial was prepared by a one-pot synthesis method using tetra butyl titanate, silver nitrate, and sodium hydroxide in water at 473 K for 3 h. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine the structure and morphology of the synthesized Ag-modified TiO2 nanomaterial. The diffuse reflectance UV-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy results revealed that metallic Ag nanoparticles decreased the optical band gap and photoluminescence intensity of the TiO2. In addition, the Raman peak intensity and absorbance were increased after Ag modification onto TiO2. The photocatalytic efficiency of the synthesized samples was tested for decomposition of aqueous hydrazine solution under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic efficiency of Ag-modified TiO2 nanomaterials was higher than that of bare TiO2 and Ag metal NPs due to the synergistic effect between the Ag metal and TiO2 structures. In addition, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) electron transfer from Ag metal particles to the conduction band of TiO2 is responsible for superior activity of TiO2-Ag catalyst. The Ag-modified TiO2 nanomaterials offered a 100% H2 selectivity within 30 min of reaction time and an apparent rate constant of 0.018 min-1 with an activation energy of 34.4 kJ/mol under visible light radiation.

Novel Sol-Gel Synthesis of TiO2 Spherical Porous Nanoparticles Assemblies with Photocatalytic Activity.

For this study, the synthesis of TiO2 nanomaterials was performed via a novel sol-gel method employing titanium butoxide as a metal precursor, Pluronic F127 as a templating agent, toluene as a swelling agent, and acidic water or ethanol as the reaction solvents. The method was designed by tailoring certain reaction parameters, such as the sequence of toluene addition, magnetic stirring, the type of reaction solvent, and the calcination conditions. Analysis of the specific surface area and porosity was carried out via N2 physisorption, whereas the morphological features of the solids were investigated via transmission electron microscopy. The crystalline structure of both the dried powders and the calcined materials was evaluated using X-ray diffraction analysis. It transpired that the different phase compositions of the solids are related to the specific synthesis medium employed. Under the adopted reaction conditions, ethanol, which was used as a reaction solvent, promoted the local arrangement of dispersed anatase particles, the specific arrangement of which does not lead to rutile transformation. Conversely, the use of water alone supported high-particle packing, evolving into a rutile phase. The photodegradation of Rhodamine B was used as a target reaction for testing the photocatalytic activity of the selected samples.

Applicability of core-shell SiO2 microspheres with a high TiO2 loading as stationary phase for HPLC

BackgroundDue to its high chemical stability, sufficient rigidity and zwitterionic ion exchange properties, TiO2 can be considered as an alternative stationary phase material to SiO2 for high performance liquid chromatography. TiO2 stationary phase is usually prepared by coating TiO2 onto SiO2 support by sol-gel method. However, in the traditional coating method, in order to overcome the rapid hydrolysis rate of tetrabutyl orthotitanate, only a very low concentration of tetrabutyl orthotitanate can be used, resulting in a low loading of TiO2 on the support. ResultsTiO2 core-shell spheres with a good monodispersity were prepared using 0.25 mol L−1 tetrabutyl orthotitanate. The specific surface area, pore volume, pore diameter and TiO2 loading of the TiO2 core-shell spheres were 66 m2 g−1, 0.15 cm3 g−1, 9.8 nm and 57%, respectively. The core-shell spheres were derivatized with n-octadecyltrichlorosilane and then packed into a stainless steel column to test the separation performance for neutral, basic and acidic samples in liquid chromatography. A baseline separation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons was achieved, showing a column efficiency for fluorene of 118075 plates m−1. The prepared stationary phase was also used to separate acidic and basic mixtures, and column efficiencies of 54500 and 25836 plates m−1 were obtained for N,N-dinitroaniline and p-chlorophenol, respectively. The relative standard deviations of the retention times of polyaromatic hydrocarbons for run-to-run, day-to-day and column-to-column repeatability were all below 5.1%. Significance and noveltyThis work demonstrated that TiO2 can be coated in the pores of the shell of SiO2 core-shell spheres with high TiO2 loading using a high concentration of tetrabutyl orthotitanate as the titania source. The experimental results show that the TiO2 coated core-shell spheres can be a good alternative stationary phase for liquid chromatography.