Preparation of SiO2-pillared layered titanate thin films

The interlayer space of a thin film of layered titanate, Cs(0.68)Ti(1.83)sq uare O-0.17(4), was successfully expanded by SiO2 pillaring. Ion exchange o f the Cs ions in the interlayer to alkylammoniuim cations, n-CnH2n+1NH3+ (n = 8, 12, 18), expanded the interlayer space, and enabled intercalation of tetraethylorthosilicate. X-ray diffraction and the cross section of transmi ssion electron microscopy images revealed that tetraethylorthosilicate-trea ted thin film maintained the expansion of interlayer space by SiO2 pillarin g after calcination at 773 K, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy after etchin g the thin film about 100 nm from the surface further confirmed the existen ce of SiO2 in the interlayer space.