Enhanced surface area in thermally stable pure mesoporous TiO2

We describe here for the first time the surfactant-assisted synthesis of th ermally stable mesoporous pure TiO2 having a high surface area. Our synthet ic approach to the chemistry of this system is based on the equilibrium bet ween the hydrolysis and condensation reactions of the inorganic species and the organic-inorganic self-assembling processes. The use of titanatrane co mplexes helps to retard the hydrolysis and condensation reactions, thus all owing us to overcome the difficulties in preparing titanium dioxide mesopor ous materials starting from highly reactive Ti-alkoxides. The mesoporous ma terial has been characterized by TEM, XRD and N-2 adsorption-desorption iso therms and displays a typical wormhole-like pore structure. (C) 2000 Editio ns scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.