文摘
We have investigated the chemical bonding character and physicochemical properties of mesoporous zincoxide-layered titanate nanocomposites synthesized by an exfoliation-restacking route. According to ouranalyses using X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm measurements, nanocrystalline zinc oxides are stabilized not only in the interlayer spaceof the host titanate but also in the mesopores of the nanocomposites formed by the house-of-card type stackingof the crystallites. X-ray absorption spectroscopic analyses at Ti K- and Zn K-edges clearly demonstrate thatnanocrystalline zinc oxides crystallized with a Wurzite type structure, and the lepidocrocite structure of thehost titanate remains unchanged after hybridization and postcalcination. Upon hybridization with zinc oxidenanoparticles, the photocatalytic activity of layered titanate is enhanced with respect to the oxidativephotodegradation of phenol and dichloroacetate. But of greater importance is that the chemical stability ofguest zinc oxide against acidic corrosion is greatly improved by hybridization with layered titanate. In thisregard, the present hybridization technique enables the application of chemically unstable nanostructuredzinc oxides even in corrosive environments.