Study on the Phase Transformation Behavior of Nanosized Amorphous TiO2

Nanosized amorphous TiO2 powders with a specific surface area of 501 m2·g-1 were prepared by hydrolysis. After calcined at 400℃ for 2 h, the prepared amorphous TiO2 powders were fully transformed into anatase crystallites with a specific surface area of 141 m2·g-1. Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) experiments were performed on the samples of nanosized amorphous TiO2 mixed with microsized anatase, nanosized anatase, or nanosized α-Al2O3 respectively. Effects of sample packing, anatase addition, or α-Al2O3 addition on the crystallization behavior of nanosized amorphous TiO2 were analyzed.

Inhibition effect of phosphate on the crystal grain growth of nanosized titania

The inhibitory effect of phosphate on the crystal grain growth of nanosized titania during high temperature calcination was investigated. Nanosized titanium dioxide powders prepared by hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride were soaked in phosphate solutions with different concentrations. The obtained powders calcined at various temperatures were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy （XPS）. The grain size of the samples without phosphate treatment increased quickly when calcined at high temperatures, while the grain size of the samples with phosphate modification increased slowly when calcined at the same temperature. This phenomenon implies that phosphate treatment plays an important role in inhibiting the crystal grain growth of titania. The possible mechanism of the inhibition effect of phosphate on titania is discussed.

New Nanocomposite Materials by Incorporation of Nanocrystalline TiO_2 Particles into Polyaniline Conductive Films

This work is focused on the combination of two building-blocks, nanocrystalline TiO2 particles and polyaniline conductive films （PAni）. The preparation of new nanostructured composite materials, displaying electron- and proton-conductive properties, to be used for the fabrication of new and superior energy storage devices was envisaged. The semiconducting TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained by means of a hydrothermal route. The PAni films were prepared on glassy carbon electrodes by electrochemical polymerization, under potential dynamic conditions. After characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy or scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques, the nanocrystalline particles were immobilized in the polymer matrix. The incorporation of the TiO2 was achieved using two distinct approaches： during the polymer growth or by deposition over previously prepared PAni films. The results demonstrate that the PAni morphology depends on the experimental conditions used during the polymer growth. After TiO2 immobilization, the best electrochemical response was obtained for the nanocomposite structure produced through the TiO2 incorporation after the PAni film synthesis. The modified electrodes were structurally and morphologically characterized and their electro-catalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction was analyzed. A new electrochemical performance related with the oxidation of molecular hydrogen entrapped in the PAni-TiO2 matrix was observed for the modified electrode after TiO2 incorporation. This behavior can be directly associated with the synergetic combination of the TiO2 and PAni, and is dependent on the amount of the semiconductor.