The influence of preparation method on the physicochemical properties of titania-silica aerogels

A series of titania-silica aerogels with different compositions were prepared using four different preparation methods. The preparation steps were followed by a high temperature supercritical drying (HTSCD). It was found that application of ethanol and 2-propanol as the solvents for the titania precursor (with or without modification with acetyloacetone) resulted in materials with BET surface area up to 990 m(2)/g, total pore volume up to 5.6 cm(3)/g and density as low as 0.041 g cm(-3). Obtained aerogels were mesoporous materials with the average pore diameter in the range 11-27 nm. It was stated that application of the I method (prehydrolysis) resulted in aerogels with higher average pore diameter than other preparation methods while aerogels with the lowest average pore diameter were obtained using the so-called IV, impregnation method. Anatase form of titania was found in all prepared samples. The prepared aerogels were being applied as catalysts in photodegradation of salicylic acid solution in water. The obtained results suggest a much higher catalytic efficiency of titania, which is present in aerogel than it is in the case of commercial P25 Degussa titanium dioxide.