Synthesis of titania-pillared layered niobic acid with a high specific surface area by using sol-intercalation method

Hydrated titanium sol particles-intercalated layered niobate was prepared through the reaction between pi-decylamine-intercalated niobate and hydrated product of tetrabutyl titanate. The titania-pillared layered niobic acid then obtained by calcining the titanium sol particles-intercalated niobate at 450degreesC in air. The resulting material has been characterized by means of XRD, IR, BET surface area and pore size distribution measurement techniques. The pillared sample was porous (mainly mesopores), with a high BET surface area of 131.3m(2) . g(-1) and an interlayer distance of 1.26nm at 450degreesC. Test of thermal stability revealed that the structure of the titania-pillared layered niobic acid was stable after this material calcined at 550degreesC for 2h in air.