TiO2/SBA-15 photocatalysts synthesized through the surface acidolysis of Ti(OnBu)4 on carboxyl-modified SBA-15

Based on an acidolysis reaction between titanium n-butoxide and carboxyl (COOH) groups, serial highly dispersed TiO2 photocatalysts were successfully synthesized on COOH-modified mesoporous SBA-15 material. Even after calcined at 550 °C to improve the crystallization, the TiO2/SBA-15 products possessed high surface area above 400 m2 g−1 that should be attributed to the high porosity of mesoporous SBA-15 and the highly uniform COOH group distribution in mesopores. HRTEM images revealed that TiO2 nanocrystals dispersed well on the surface of SBA-15. The pore channels were partly blocked by TiO2 nanocrystals, resulting in a bimodal pore size distribution in TiO2/SBA-15 compared with SBA-15. XRD and Raman results disclosed the exclusive anatase phase of TiO2 in the photocatalysts. With adjusting the molar ratio of COOH to TB, the TiO2/SBA-15 products displayed different photocatalytic performance using Rhodamine B as probe under UV light.