Titania shells with single crystallites layer thickness and the photocatalysis properties

TiO₂ shells comprised of single-layer nanocrystallites were synthesised using sulphonated polystyrene (SPS) nanospheres as hard templates. The assembling of titania gel-based particles during the hydrolysation process caused the formation of SPS-titania gel core-shell spheres, the dissolution of SPS and the condensation process by calcination resulting in single-layer crystallites-connected TiO₂ shells with a rough surface. The prepared TiO₂ shells showed considerable photocatalytic activity on the degradation of Rhodamine B.