Effect of HCl on the Formation of TiO2 Nanocrystallites

TiO2 nanocrystals are prepared by pyrolysis of titanium tetrachloride TiCl4 as precursor in HCl aqueous solution at 80°C. The experimental results show that the HCl concentrations in the synthesizing medium and the following aging are the essential factors affecting the phase formation and phase composition of the resulting TiO2 nanocrystals. The TiO2 suspended in the HCl media is predominant anatase in uniform cluster and the TiO2 deposited in the sedimentation is predominant rutile in the rod-like structure. In the anatase phase, TiO2 crystallites have particle structure of 4–11 nm in mean size depending on the HCl concentration and aging time. In the rutile phase, the mean size of rutile TiO2 is 12-13 nm and there is not much change with HCl environment and aging time. The mean size of TiO2 of around 11-12 nm is considered to be the critical point of phase transition from anatase to rutile in HCl media. Consequence, TiO2 nanocrystallites in pure anatase and rutile phase can be extracted and segregated from the colloidal suspension and the deposited parts in the synthesizing media.