Mesostructured SiO2-doped TiO2 with enhanced thermal stability prepared by a soft-templating sol–gel route

Mesostructured SiO₂–TiO₂ mixed oxides have been prepared by a soft-templating sol–gel route, using a non-ionic triblock copolymer as structure-directing agent. Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) have been employed as Si and Ti sources, respectively. Using a prehydrolysis TEOS step allows mixed oxides to be produced with a homogeneous porosity and with no phase segregation, in a wide range of Si/Ti compositions. Both the hydrolysis molar ratio and the silicon content have been found to be important factors determining the final properties of these materials. For instance, mixed oxides containing low silicon concentrations exhibit N₂ physisorption isotherms typical of mesoporous materials, although with an important contribution of microporosity. On the other hand, increasing the hydrolysis molar ratio makes more difficult to reach a total dispersion of SiO₂ through the TiO₂ matrix. Even with low SiO₂ loadings, the thermal stability is effectively enhanced, when compared to the equivalent pure TiO₂ materials, as a consequence of a delay in the titania crystallization to anatase. Thus, after calcination at 300 °C for 3 h, mixed oxides containing low Si/Ti ratios (20/80) show BET surface area in the range 290–346 m²/g, while pure TiO₂ materials largely collapse under the same treatment and their BET surface area drop strongly to values around 125 m²/g. This synthesis route, therefore, provides mesoporous TiO₂-rich materials with enhanced stability and textural properties, which is of high interest for applications as catalysts and supports.