Anatase-Type TiO2 and ZrO2-Doped TiO2 Directly Formed from Titanium(III) Sulfate Solution by Thermal Hydrolysis: Effect of the Presence of Ammonium Peroxodisulfate on their Formation and Properties

Anatase-type TiO₂ powder containing sulfur with absorption in the visible region was directly formed as particles with crystallite in the range 15–88 nm by thermal hydrolysis of titanium(III) sulfate (Ti₂(SO₄)₃) solution at 100°–240°C. Because of the presence of ammonium peroxodisulfate ((NH₄)₂S₂O₈), the yield of anatase-type TiO₂ from Ti₂(SO₄)₃ solution was accelerated, and anatase with fine crystallite was formed. Anatase-type TiO₂ doped with ZrO₂ up to 9.8 mol% was directly precipitated as nanometer-sized particles from the acidic precursor solutions of Ti₂(SO₄)₃ and zirconium sulfate in the presence and the absence of (NH₄)₂S₂O₈ by simultaneous hydrolysis under hydrothermal conditions at 200°C. By doping ZrO₂ into TiO₂ and with increasing ZrO₂ content, the crystallite size of anatase was decreased, and the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation was retarded as much as 200°C. The anatase-type structure of ZrO₂-doped TiO₂ was maintained after heating at 1000°C for 1 h. The favorable effect of doping ZrO₂ to anatase-type TiO₂ on the photocatalytic activity was observed.     

Photoactive and Adsorptive Niobium-Doped Anatase (TiO2) Nanoparticles: Influence of Hydrothermal Conditions on their Morphology, Structure, and Properties

Anatase-type TiO₂ nanoparticles with adsorptivity and improved photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) in its aqueous solution, which contained up to 10 mol% niobium by forming solid solutions with niobium oxide, were directly synthesized from precursor solutions of TiOSO₄ and NbCl₅ under three hydrothermal conditions in the absence and presence of urea and aqueous ammonia at 180°C for 5 h. The influence of the hydrothermal conditions on the crystallite growth, morphology, specific surface area, adsorptivity, and photocatalytic activity of niobium-doped TiO₂ was investigated. The crystallite growth of anatase was enhanced by the presence of the niobium component. The 10 mol% niobium-doped TiO₂ that was prepared under the hydrothermal condition in the presence of urea had fine crystallites (11 nm) and high specific surface areas (135 m²/g), which showed the most enhanced photocatalytic activity and the highest adsorptivity. The hydrothermal treatment under weak basic conditions and formation of solid solutions with niobium oxide brought about a considerable increase in the adsorption of MB for the anatase-type TiO₂.     

Mechanism of ZrTiO4 Synthesis by Mechanochemical Processing of TiO2 and ZrO2

High-energy ball milling initiates a solid-state reaction in an equimolar mixture of TiO₂ and ZrO₂. The first stage of ball milling induced the transformation of anatase TiO₂ to high-pressure phase TiO₂ (II), isostructural with ZrTiO₄. The formation of solid solutions monoclinic ZrO₂/TiO₂ and TiO₂ (II)/ZrO₂ was observed in the intermediate stage. Afterward, a nanosized ZrTiO₄ phase was formed in the milled product from the TiO₂ (II)/ZrO₂ solid solution. The sintering of the milled product at a temperature <1100°C was examined in situ by Raman spectroscopy. The full solid-state reaction toward ZrTiO₄ ceramic is completed at a temperature considerably lower than reported in the literature.     

Enzyme-Assisted Synthesis of Titania under Ambient Conditions

A low-temperature procedure for the synthesis of TiO₂ was developed using a water-soluble titanium complex and enzymes. Titanium–lactate and titanium–glycolate complexes were used as precursors of TiO₂. Digestive enzymes were chosen as biocatalysts for the synthesis of TiO₂ in aqueous solutions. TiO₂ powders were deposited from reaction solutions having optimal pH values for the enzymes to exhibit their catalytic activities for their original substrates. TiO₂ has been synthesized by an enzymatic reaction in an aqueous solution under ambient conditions. The XRD measurements indicated that TiO₂ powders thus obtained usually have an amorphous phase. However, after calcination at 550°C, the anatase phase was confirmed. Interestingly, the minor phase of TiO₂, brookite, was found in the sample obtained from the titanium–glycolate complex catalyzed by lipase at pH 10 after calcination at 550°C.     

Preparation of TiO2-Coated Al2O3 Particles by Chemical Vapor Deposition in a Rotary Reactor

A process of coating Al₂O₃ particles with TiO₂ by hydrolysis of Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ using chemical vapor deposition in a rotary reactor has been developed. The process resulted in (1) a coating film of TiO₂ which was compact and uniform with the fraction of TiO₂ being 0.1%–10.0% and (2) an amorphous TiO₂ coating at a low reaction temperature converted to anatase at a reaction temperature higher than 673 K.     

Hydrothermal Synthesis for Large Barium Titanate Powders at a Low Temperature: Effect of Titania Aging in an Alkaline Solution

Monodisperse and spherical barium titanate (BaTiO₃) powders with diameters of 200–470 nm were directly prepared by a low-temperature hydrothermal method at 90°C. Spherical titania (TiO₂) powders, ranging in size from 150 to 420 nm, were initially prepared by a controlled hydrolysis and condensation reaction, aged in a highly alkaline solution for 12 h, and then hydrothermally reacted with barium hydroxide to be converted to BaTiO₃ without a morphological change. The aging step of the TiO₂, where the surface of TiO₂ was highly densified through elimination of the pores, was indispensable to retain the sizes and shapes of TiO₂ in the resulting BaTiO₃. This was due to the fact that the formation of BaTiO₃ proceeded by an in situ reaction mechanism. The resulting BaTiO₃ powders exhibited dense and nonporous structures even after calcination at 1000°C.     

Influence of TiO2 Solid Solution on the Thermal Property and Ionic Conductivity Of Partially Stabilized Zirconia

TiO₂(0–20 mol%)-3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) ceramics were prepared by a solid-state reaction. With increasing TiO₂ content in 3YSZ, the structure of the main phase changed from a monoclinic, tetragonal, and cubic mixture to a tetragonal single phase. Increasing TiO₂ content in 3YSZ caused an increase in the average grain size of these ceramics. The thermal conductivity decreased from 4.1 to 2.1 at room temperature with an increase in the TiO₂ content. The specific heat of non-TiO₂-doped 3YSZ was slightly larger than all the doped TiO₂–3YSZ at room temperature. When the TiO₂ content was >8 mol% in 3YSZ, no abrupt expansion, shrinkage, or cracks were observed on heating and cooling these samples; thus, the thermal stability of 3YSZ was improved by TiO₂ solid solution. The ionic conductivity of the samples decreased with increasing TiO₂ solid solution.     

Effects of Glass Additions on (Zr,Sn)TiO4 for Microwave Applications

The effects of glass additions on the properties of (Zr,Sn)TiO₄ as a microwave dielectric material were investigated. The (Zr,Sn)TiO₄ ceramics with no glass addition sintered at 1360°C gave Q = 4900 and K = 37 at 7.9 GH_z. Several glasses, including SiO₂, B₂O₃, 5ZnO–2B₂O₃, and nine commercial glasses, were tested during this study. Among these glasses, (Zr,Sn)TiO₄ sintered with ZnO-B₂O₃–SiO₂ (Corning 7574) showed more than 20% higher density than that of pure (Zr,Sn)TiO₄ sintered at the same temperature. A 5-wt% addition of SiO₂, to (Zr,Sn)TiO₄, when sintered at 1200°C, gave the best Q : Q = 2700 at 9 GHz. Results of XRD analysis and scanning electron microscopy and the effect of glass content are also presented.     

Pb-Diffusion Barrier Layers for PbTiO3 Thin Films Deposited on Si Substrates by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

The interfaces between metal organic chemical vapor deposited PbTiO₃ thin films and various diffusion barrier layers deposited on Si substrates were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Several diffusion barrier thin films such as polycrystalline TiO₂, amorphous TiO₂, ZrO₂, and TiN were deposited between the PbTiO₃ thin film and Si substrate, because the deposition of PbTiO₃ thin films on bare Si substrates produced Pb silicate layers at the interface irrespective of the deposition conditions. The TiO₂ films were converted to PbTiO₃ by their reaction with diffused Pb and O ions during PbTiO₃ deposition at a gubstrate temperature of 410°C. Further diffusion of Pb and O induces formation of a Pb silicate layer at the interface. ZrO₂ did not seem to react with Pb and O during PbTiO₃ deposition at the same temperature, but the Pb and O ions that diffused through the ZrO₂ layer formed a Pb silicate layer between the ZrO₂ and Si substrate. The TiN films did not seem to react with Pb and O ions during the deposition of PbTiO₃ at 410°C, but reacted with PbTiO₃ to form a lead-deficient pyrochlore during postdeposition rapid thermal annealing at 700°C. However, TiN could effectively block the diffusion of Pb and O ions into the Si substrate and the formation of Pb silicate at the interface.     

Direct Formation and Photocatalytic Performance of Anatase (TiO2)/Silica (SiO2) Composite Nanoparticles

Anatase (TiO₂)/silica (SiO₂: 23.9–27.7 mol%) composite nanoparticles were directly synthesized from (i) the reaction of titanyl sulfate (TiOSO₄) and sodium metasilicate (Na₂SiO₃) under mild hydrothermal conditions, (ii) the acidic precursor solutions of TiOSO₄ and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) by thermal hydrolysis, and (iii) the metal alkoxides, i.e., tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and TEOS, by the sol–gel method. Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated by measurements of the relative concentration of methylene blue after UV irradiation. The as-prepared TiO₂/SiO₂ composite nanoparticles showed far more improved photocatalytic activity than the pure anatase-type TiO₂. The composite nanoparticles formed from (i) TiOSO₄ and Na₂SiO₃ as well as those from (ii) TiOSO₄ and TEOS showed fairly good photocatalytic activity, and it was better than that of those synthesized from (iii) the metal alkoxides, which was suggested to be due to the difference in crystallinity of the anatase.     

Low-Temperature Atomic Layer-Deposited TiO2 Films with Low Photoactivity

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been successfully utilized for the conformal and uniform deposition of ultrathin titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) particles. The deposition was carried out by alternating reactions of titanium tetraisopropoxide and H₂O₂ (50 wt% in H₂O) at 77°C in a fluidized bed reactor. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the deposition of TiO₂ and scanning transmission electron microscopy showed the conformal TiO₂ films deposited on polymer particle surfaces. The TiO₂ ALD process yielded a growth rate of 0.15 nm/cycle at 77°C. The results of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy suggested that there was a nucleation period, which showed the reaction mechanism of TiO₂ ALD on HDPE particles without chemical functional groups. TiO₂ ALD films deposited at such a low temperature had an amorphous structure and showed a much weaker photoactivity intensity than common pigment-grade anatase TiO₂ particles.     

Reaction of TiO2-Al-C in the Combustion Synthesis of TiC-Al2O3 Composite

Reaction mechanisms and the thermal structure in the reaction zone during the combustion of TiO₂, Al, and C to form TiC-Al₂O₃ composite were studied. The reaction between each component was studied and the combustion wave structure and real-time temperature profile were analyzed. Titanium aluminide species, present in the aluminothermic reduction of TiO₂, did not occur in the presence of C, because of the high thermodynamic stability of TiC. The activation energies of the exothermic reaction in the 3TiO₂-4Al-3C system were determined by DSC analysis. This suggests that the combustion reaction is mainly controlled by carbon diffusion through solid TiC. The combustion wave was observed to propagate in an unstable mode. The temperature profiles in the reaction zone were of the sawtooth type and the products were of layered structure.     

Crystallization Hierarchy of CaO-P2O5-SiO2-Al2O3-TiO2 Glass-Ceramics

Glasses in the tricalcium phosphate-anorthite (Ca₃(PO₄)₂-CaAl₂Si₂O₈ or TCP-CAS₂) system with additional TiO₂ were melted. Crystallization was investigated using thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and transmission optical and electron microscopies. During the heat treatment, as the growth temperature increases, successive crystalline phases separate from the glass matrix. The phases present in the fully heat-treated glass-ceramic are ß-TCP, anor-thite (CAS₂), and rutile (TiO₂). Apart from TiO₂, these phases evolve from other polymorphs during the heat treatment. The metastable phases, pseudo-orthorhombic CAS₂ and alpha-TCP, appear first around 880°C and transform into the stable phases, triclinic anorthite CAS₂ and ß-TCP, around 940° and 1000°C, respectively. The material crystallizes in stages. The first stage is the separation from the glass matrix of rutile and what is believed to be a calcium phosphate phase, with crystal sizes varying from 20 to 200 nm. This is followed by the appearance of larger crystals (1-2 µm) of the metastable pseudo-orthorhombic CAS₂, surrounding the previously crystallized phases. Finally, this pseudo-orthorhombic CAS₂ phase transforms to anorthite (15-20 µm) spherulites. TiO₂ does not act as a direct nucleating agent in the glass composition studied: no sign of heterogeneous nucleation and growth from TiO₂ crystals has been found, and moreover, TiO₂-free base glass crystallizes in a manner similar to that of the glass containing TiO₂.     

New Method to Prepare Nitrogen-Doped Titanium Dioxide and Its Photocatalytic Activities Irradiated by Visible Light

A Ti-based metal organic compound is taken as the precursor to be decomposed in NH₃ flow at a certain temperature to prepare modified TiO₂ with high photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. The processes of doping and crystallization of TiO₂ are conducted at the same time during the treatment in the NH₃ flow. This approach could efficiently dope N into anatase TiO₂ lattice. The prepared TiO₂ also has well-defined mesoporosity with a BET area of 217 m²/g.     

Anatase Titanium Dioxide Crystallization by a Hydrolysis Reaction of Titanium Alkoxide without Annealing

The crystallization of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) was achieved by a hydrolysis reaction of titanium alkoxide without annealing. The hydrolysis reaction rates of tetraethyl orthotitanate were indicated by a function of the concentration of acetylacetone added. The degree of crystallinity of the product particles was influenced by the amounts of acetylacetone and seed crystals. Anatase TiO₂ was crystallized by restraining the rapid increase in supersaturation of TiO₂ and the consequent nucleation of amorphous TiO₂. The degree of crystallinity of the product particles also changed with the types of seed crystals used, and was strongly influenced by the specific surface areas of the seed crystals.     

Nano-Sized Hydroxyapatite Coatings on Ti Substrate with TiO2 Buffer Layer by E-beam Deposition

A nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HA) layer was coated on a Ti substrate with a titanium oxide (TiO₂) buffer layer by the electron-beam deposition method. The morphological features as well as the mechanical and biological properties of the HA/TiO₂-layered coating were noticeably different from those of a conventional HA coating on Ti. The HA on the TiO₂ layer replicated the fine grain structure of the TiO₂ layer, with grain sizes of just a few tens of nanometers. The TiO₂ buffer layer was highly effective in preserving the adhesion strength of the coating layer following the heat treatment at 500°C, which was necessary to crystallize the structure. Moreover, in contrast to the HA single coating wherein severe cracking was observed under moist conditions, the HA/TiO₂ coating retained its mechanical stability under the same conditions. The dissolution of the HA/TiO₂ coating in a physiological saline solution exhibited a more favorable pattern than that of the HA single coating, with a reduced initial burst and a subsequent steady release rate. Preliminary in vitro cellular tests showed that osteoblastic cells expressed a significantly higher alkaline phosphatase level on the HA/TiO₂ coating than on the HA single coating. Conclusively, the nano-sized HA coating with the TiO₂ buffer layer holds great promise as a bioactive coating system.     

Formation of Nanometric TiB2 from TiO2

Titanium diboride can be produced by ball-milling a mixture of TiO₂, B₂O₃, and Mg metal for between 10 and 15 h. The reaction was found to be completed during the milling with no evidence of residual Mg. The unwanted phase, MgO, was readily removed by leaching in acid. The leached powder obtained after 15 h milling had a particle size of <200 nm and was highly faceted. The particle size decreased to ∼50 nm after 100 h milling and seemed to be relatively monodisperse. Scherrer calculation of the crystallite size showed that the product particles were probably single crystal.     

Enhancing Effect of Iron Chlorides on the Anatase-Rutile Transition in Titanium Dioxide

The effect of solid Fe₂O₃ and gaseous iron chlorides on the anatase-rutile phase transition was investigated in the temperature range of 750°-950°C via X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. In both cases, iron diffusion in the anatase lattice decreased the transition temperature and increased the anatase-rutile transformation rate, in comparison with that in TiO₂ fired in air. The enhancement effect of iron on the anatase-rutile transition is understood on the basis of oxygen-vacancy formation, which favors rutile nucleation. Solid-state iron diffusion between the contact points of TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ particles and vapor mass transport through gaseous chlorides were the primary mechanisms of iron mass transport to the TiO₂ surface in the presence of both Fe₂O₃ and gaseous iron chlorides, respectively. The transformation rate at a given reaction temperature increased in the following order of reaction conditions: pure TiO₂ in air, TiO₂ in the presence of Fe₂O₃ in air, TiO₂ in the presence of Fe₂O₃ in chlorine, and TiO₂ in the presence of gaseous iron chlorides.     

Environmentally friendly coloured materials: cellulose/titanium dioxide/inorganic pigment composite spherical microbeads prepared by viscose phase-separation method

In order to develop environmentally friendly coloured materials, cellulose composite spherical microbeads hybridised with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles and inorganic pigment were prepared by a phase-separation method using viscose and an aqueous solution containing sodium polyacrylate. Findings regarding the relationships between cellulose xanthate and the electronic characteristics of TiO₂ particles used in the cellulose/inorganic material composite sphering process are also reported. These findings suggest that the location of TiO₂ particles in cellulose microbeads is related to electrical repulsion between the xanthate (CSS⁻) group and TiO₂. The use of TiO₂ powder as colour pigment is limited, as its colour is white. The cellulose composite spherical microbeads covered with TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ particles were developed by addition of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃). Their surfaces were viewed by laser microscope and using SEM images. These composite microbeads retained the photocatalytic property of TiO₂. Cellulose/TiO₂/Fe₂O₃ composite spherical microbeads with both colour function and photocatalytic properties were successfully prepared.     

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline TiO2 Particles by Hydrolysis of Titanyl Organic Compounds at Low Temperature

Fourier transform infrared analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermogravimetric analysis show that most of the solid product prepared from the reaction of Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ and excess (CH₃CO)₂O is a mixture of titanyl organic compounds. Nanocrystalline TiO₂ particles, which include anatase TiO₂, rutile TiO₂, and a mixture of anatase and rutile, can be obtained from hydrolysis of the titanyl organic compounds under normal pressure at 60°C. The particle size, shape, and formation process of the crystals have been studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The specific-surface-area data for a rutile TiO₂ sample and the powders obtained after calcination at different temperatures have been measured by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method.