Room temperature synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures with high photocatalytic efficiency

Mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures of spindle shape (diameter ∼6 nm and length of 30 nm) have been obtained at room temperature by a simple microemulsion method. The nanospindles are highly monodisperse with high surface area and high degree of thermostability. These TiO2 nanostructures have a high surface area (∼200 m2/g) and show nearly twice the photocatalytic efficiency than of commercially available TiO2 and comparable to the best titania-based photocatalyst (TiO2 doped with expensive metals like Pt and obtained at higher temperature). There is no decrease in the efficiency of the photocatalyst even after three cycles.