Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering

Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering

Fabrication of Mesoporous Titania with an Ordered Porous Structure Using a Modified Sol-Gel Method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Alireza Ziaei-Abiz
Sayed Ali Hassanzadeh-Tabrizi
Ali Saffar
Reza Ebrahimi-Kahrizsangi
Mahdi Omidi
Department of Materials Engineering, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
10.47176/jame.45.2.1150
Abstract
Introduction and Objectives: Many efforts have been made to fabricate mesoporous titania due to its special properties and specific applications. The mesoporous structure of titania provides a large specific surface area, enhancing its catalytic efficiency and facilitating interaction with reactant molecules.
Materials and Methods: In the present study, mesoporous titania was synthesized using a modified sol-gel method with two different surfactants. The produced materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by studying the degradation of the organic dye methyl orange.
Results: X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the titania was formed with a tetragonal anatase structure. The crystallite size was calculated to be approximately 26 nm using the Scherrer method and about 24 nm using the Williamson-Hall method. The presence of ordered pores with a mesoporous structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The specific surface area of the sample was about 70 m²/g with a pore size distribution between 2.5 and 8 nm. The light absorption results of the samples indicated that the bandgap of the product was approximately 3.2 eV. The kinetic constant of the methyl orange photodegradation reaction was found to be 0.0042 min⁻¹.
Conclusion: The removal of surfactant from the samples effectively created regular mesoporous structures. The produced mesoporous titania can be used as a photocatalytic semiconductor.
Keywords
TiO2
Mesoporous
Surfactant
Photocatalyst
Sol-gel
Subjects
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Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering
Volume 45, Issue 2
2026
Pages 99-112

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