文摘
Thermohydrolysis of titanium compound solutions is a widely used method for titania-based nanomaterials preparation. The relationship between properties and synthetic conditions of such materials is derived from the nature of processes occurring in solution during material formation. In the present paper, new insights on titania nanoparticles formation by thermohydrolysis of TiCl4 water solution are given based on a joint study by SAXS, DLS, and TEM techniques. The key stage was supposed to rely on a bonding rearrangement process inside an inorganic polymer causing crystalline phase formation characterized by 3鈥? nm gyration radii according to SAXS. The model of TiCl4 thermohydrolysis describing the whole process of TiO2 nanoparticles formation was supposed. The presence of several distinct steps allows one to control phase composition and morphology of the final nanoparticles of titania, opening up the possibility to vary their functional properties.