Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of titania-modified mesoporous silicate MCM-41

A series of titania modified mesoporous silicate MCM-41 (MCM-TiO2) samples with variable Ti/Si ratios have been synthesized from tetrabutyltitanate and calcined MCM-41. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy, thermal analysis (DTA-TG), nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77 K, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and solid state diffuse reflectance UV-VIS spectroscopy. It was found that tetrabutyltitanate cocondensation occurred with pendant OH groups of MCM-41 leading to Si-O-Ti bonds so modifying the inner pore surface of MCM-41 after hydrolysis and calcination. In the titania modified MCM-41 samples, although titania species were in tetrahedral rather than octahedral coordination which is predominant in crystalline titania, it still exhibited good photocatalytic activity for oxidizing phenol to carbon dioxide and water.