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Highly controlled crystallite size and crystallinity of pure and iron-doped anatase-TiO2 nanocrystals by continuous flow supercritical synthesis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2012

Jian-Li Mi ,
Simon Johnsen ,
Casper Clausen ,
Peter Hald ,
Nina Lock ,
Lasse Sø  and
Bo B. Iversen
Jian-Li Mi
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Simon Johnsen
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Casper Clausen
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Peter Hald
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Nina Lock
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Lasse Sø
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
Bo B. Iversen*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Centre for Materials Crystallography, Aarhus University, DK-8000Aarhus, Denmark
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: bo@chem.au.dk
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Abstract

High purity anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) and iron (Fe)-doped TiO2 nanocrystals were prepared by a continuous flow synthesis method using isopropanol-water mixtures as solvent in supercritical or near-critical conditions. The method allows complete control of size (5–20 nm) and crystallinity (10–100%) of the nanoparticles and provides quick synthesis with a residence time of ∼10 s that can be scaled up to commercial production. It is found that the average crystallite size can be easily controlled by adjusting the ratio between isopropanol and water in the solvent, whereas the crystallinity is mainly controlled by the reaction temperature. As-prepared Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticles appear to be single phase, but Fe3+ ions most likely do not occupy the Ti4+ sites in the anatase TiO2 crystal structure.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 28 , Issue 3: Focus Issue: Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials , 14 February 2013 , pp. 333 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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References

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