title: Stabilization of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles at the Surface of Carbon Nanomaterials Promoted by Microwave Heating.
abstract: TiO2 is frequently combined with carbon materials, such as reduced graphene oxide (RGO), to produce composites with improved properties, for example for photocatalytic applications. It is shown that heating conditions significantly affect the interface and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 @C, and that microwave irradiation can be advantageous for the synthesis of carbon-based materials. Composites of TiO2 with RGO or amorphous carbon were prepared from reaction of titanium isopropoxide with benzyl alcohol. During the synthesis of the TiO2 nanoparticles, the carbon is involved in reactions that lead to the covalent attachment of the oxide, the extent of which depends on the carbon characteristics, heating rate, and mechanism. TiO2 is more efficiently stabilized at the surface of RGO than amorphous carbon. Rapid heating of the reaction mixture results in a stronger coupling between the nanoparticles and carbon, more uniform coatings, and smaller particles with narrower size distributions. The more efficient attachment of the oxide leads to better photocatalytic performance.
authors: Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Berlin (Germany).
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Zhang
authors: Università "Mediterranea", Dip. di Ing. Civile dell'Energia, dell'Ambiente e dei Materiali (DICEAM), Reggio Calabria (Italy).
authors: Saveria
authors: S
authors: Santangelo
authors: Università di Messina, Dip. di Fisica e di Scienze della Terra (DFST), Messina (Italy).
authors: Enza
authors: E
authors: Fazio
authors: Università di Messina, Dip. di Fisica e di Scienze della Terra (DFST), Messina (Italy).
authors: Fortunato
authors: F
authors: Neri
authors: INSTM, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Dip. di Scienza dei Materiali, Milano (Italy).
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: D'Arienzo
authors: INSTM, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Dip. di Scienza dei Materiali, Milano (Italy).
authors: Franca
authors: F
authors: Morazzoni
authors: Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing (P. R. China).
authors: Yihe
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Berlin (Germany). patricia.russo@hu-berlin.de.
authors: Nicola
authors: N
authors: Pinna
authors: Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Chemie, Berlin (Germany). nicola.pinna@hu-berlin.de.
authors: Patrícia A
authors: PA
authors: Russo
keywords: graphene; microwave-assisted synthesis; non-aqueous sol-gel formation; photocatalysis; titanium dioxide