title: Structural, textural, and electronic properties of a nanosized mesoporous ZnxTi1-xO2-) solid solution prepared by a supercritical drying route.
abstract: Mesoporous nanosized TiO2 and Zn(x)Ti(1-x)O(2-x) solid solution having a Zn content below 10 mol % with a particles size between 13 and 17 nm are prepared by a template-free sol-gel method followed by high-temperature supercritical drying in 2-propanol. The structural, textural, and electronic properties of the obtained nanomaterials are methodically investigated by using XRD, SEM, TEM, ED, HREM, EDX, ICP-OES, N(2) adsorption-desorption, Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy. It is shown that the proposed synthesis technique leads to the formation of a Zn(x)Ti(1-x)O(2-x) solid solution based on the anatase crystal structure rather than a two-phase sample. High-resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction indicate that the distribution of zinc atoms over the anatase structure does not lead to a considerable deformation of the crystal structure.
authors.affiliation: Materials and Structures Laboratory (Center for Materials Design), Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan. kolenko@msl.titech.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yury V
authors.initials: YV
authors.lastname: Kolen'ko
authors.forename: Kirill A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kovnir
authors.forename: Anton I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Gavrilov
authors.forename: Alexei V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Garshev
authors.forename: Pavel E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Meskin
authors.forename: Bulat R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Churagulov
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colbeau-Justin
authors.forename: Oleg I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Lebedev
authors.forename: Gustaaf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Tendeloo
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshimura