Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic properties of titania modified monolayered mesoporous MCM-41

The titania modified inner surface of mesoporous silicate MCM - 41 was synt hesized for the first time by varying titanium precursors and calcined MCM - 41. The as - synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, ET - IR, nitr ogen adsorption - desorption at 77K and solid state diffuse reflectance UV - vis spectroscopy. XRD suggested that a long - range order was still prese nt in the hexagonal phase of the titania modified MCM - 41 and were free of crystalline TiO2. Titania cocondensed with the pendant OH groups of MCM - 41 via Si-O-Ti bonds and thus modified the inner walls. The titania in the modified MCM - 41 existed as a monolayer on the inner walls according to th e results of nitrogen adsorption - desorption isotherms. In solid state UV - vis spectra, the titania modified MCM - 41 had significant blue shift com pared to bulk TiO2 due to the well known quantum size effect. The photocata lytic properties of the titania modified MCM - 41 were tested in the decomp osition of phenol.