Synthesis and tuning of ordering and crystallinity of mesoporous titanium dioxide film

Synthesis of well-organized and highly crystalline mesoporous titania (TiO2) film is demonstrated using triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123) as a structure directing template, through the evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) process. The issue of thermal and structural stability of a mesoporous TiO2 film Was addressed via optimization of annealing temperature and time. An anatase phase, high crystallinity TiO2 HIM with ordered pores was obtained at 430 degrees C after annealing for 15 min. The synthesized film was crack free with TiO2 nanoparticle size of 10-15 nm, quasi-hexagonal pore diameter in the range of 8-10 nm and film thickness of similar to 150 nm. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.