Polymer gel template for porous TiO2 production

Porous networks of titanium dioxide have been produced using polymer gels a s templates. Titanium dioxide is well known for its semiconductor and catal ysis properties, and for being a very stable material. The porous polymer g els are produced in aqueous surfactant solutions. Following cleaning and so lvent exchange procedures the titanium precursor can be incorporated within the gel and hydrolysed. The organic material is removed during calcination leaving the structured titanium dioxide. Both the rutile and anatase forms of titanium dioxide can be produced. The resulting crystal structure and t he surface area of the oxide are important for determining its scope of app lication. These properties have been studied using electron microscopy, X-r ay diffraction and gas sorption.