Sains Malaysiana 46(12)(2017): 2515–2521

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4612-29

 

Solvothermal Synthesis of Anatase TiO₂ Nanosheets with Exposed {001} Facets

(Sintesis Solvoterma Anatase Helaian Nano TiO₂ dengan Faset {001} Terdedah)

 

MADIHA YASIR¹., M. TAZLI AZIZAN^1,3*, ANITA RAMLI^2,3 & MARIAM AMEEN¹

 

¹Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 Tronoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

 

²Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

32610 Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

³Center for Biofuel and Biochemical Research (CBBR), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 31750 Tronoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

 

Received: 18 December 2015/Accepted: 5 September 2016

 

ABSTRACT

Enhancing the catalytic activity of titania (TiO₂) nanomaterials by controlling the size, surface area and percentage of highly reactive exposed {001} facets has become attractive in the recent years because of its wider applications in the different fields of scientific research. In the present study, anatase TiO₂ nano-sized sheets (TNS) were synthesized using a simple ethanol assisted solvothermal chemical route. The TNS structures were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission electron microscopic (TEM), Raman analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Accelerated surface area and porosimetry (ASAP) analysis. The results from TEM, Raman and XRD analysis confirmed the presence of anatase crystalline structure of TNS with the size range of 20-40 nm. The synthesized TNS structures possess 60% of highly reactive exposed {001} facets with a total surface area of 73 m²/g. These tremendous crystalline properties of solvothermally synthesized TNS structure makes it as an attractive catalyst for environmental and bio-fuel applications.

 

Keywords: Anatase TiO₂; nanosheets; solvothermal; {001} Facets

 

ABSTRAK

Peningkatan aktiviti perangsang menggunakan bahan nano titania (TiO₂) dengan mengawal saiz, permukaan dan peratusan faset {001} terdedah sangat reaktif telah menjadi tarikan dalam beberapa tahun kebelakangan kerana penggunaan yang lebih meluas dalam perbezaan bidang penyelidikan saintifik. Dalam kajian ini, helaian bersaiz nano anatase TiO₂ (TNS) telah disintesis menggunakan laluan etanol mudah berbantu kimia solvoterma. Struktur TNS telah dicirikan menggunakan pancaran medan imbasan elektron mikroscopi (FE-SEM), elektron penghantaran mikroskopik (TEM), analisis Raman, pembelauan sinar-x (XRD) dan kawasan permukaan pecutan serta analisis porosimetri (ASAP). Keputusan daripada analisis TEM, Raman dan XRD mengesahkan kewujudan struktur hablur anatase TNS dengan pelbagai julat saiz 20-40 nm. Struktur sintesis TNS memiliki 60% daripada faset {001} terdedah sangat reaktif dengan jumlah keluasan permukaan 73 m²/g. Sifat kristal solvoterma yang hebat daripada struktur TNS yang disintesis menjadikannya sebagai pemangkin menarik untuk alam sekitar dan aplikasi bio-bahan api.

 

Kata kunci: Anatase TiO₂; faset {001}; helaian nano; solvoterma

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*Corresponding author; email: tazliazizan@utp.edu.my