Preparation of porous TiO2/silica composites without any surfactants

TiO2–SiO2 composites, with high specific surface area (up to 308 m2/g), large pore volume, and narrow distribution with average pore sizes of 3.2 nm, have been synthesized from wollastonite and titanium sulfate in the absence of any surfactants. Calcium sulfate, a microsolubility salt, plays an important role in the formation of pores in this porous TiO2/silica composite. The microstructure and chemical composition of composite were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) and N2 adsorption and desorption analysis. The as-prepared porous titanium dioxide–silicon dioxide composites with high specific surface area and well-crystallized anatase contents were used as an efficient photocatalyst.