New insights into polymer mediated formation of anatase mesocrystals. Issue 24 (31st May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boytsova, Olga V.; Sadovnikov, Alexey A.; Yorov, Khursand E.; Beltiukov, Artemii N.; Baranchikov, Alexander E.; Ivanov, Vladimir K.; Zhong, Xiangli; Lewis, David J.; O'Brien, Paul; Sutherland, Andrew J.
• Is Part Of: CrystEngComm. Volume 19:Issue 24(2017)
• Page Start: 3281
• Page End: 3287
• Publication Date: 2017-05-31
• Subjects: Crystals -- Periodicals; Crystal growth -- Periodicals; Crystallography -- Periodicals; Cristaux -- Périodiques; Cristaux -- Croissance -- Périodiques; Cristallographie -- Périodiques; 548
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ce01985d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-8033

Abstract

Abstract : New details of the non-classical formation of TiO2 mesocrystals (MCs) from NH4 TiOF3 MCs are described. Abstract : The reaction between (NH4 )2 TiF6 and H3 BO3 in the presence of varying quantities of PEG-6000 was used to form NH4 TiOF3 mesocrystals (MCs). The amount of PEG-6000, employed as a template, is crucial to the formation of defect free, non-agglomerated NH4 TiOF3 MCs; high concentrations lead to MC agglomeration, lower ones result in centralized defects. This polymer-mediated formation process may be understood using an analogy with known polymerization reactions. The oxofluorotitanate MCs readily undergo a thermal topotactic transformation to give anatase MCs with photocatalytic activity. The TiO2 MCs are porous, with highly orientated lamellar crystallites that form part of the larger mesocrystal structure.