Synthesis of ordered macroporous Titania membranes by colloidal templating

The Synthesis of ordered macroporous titania membranes was accomplished by silica colloidal crystal templating. The silica colloidal crystal membranes were deposited from ethanol suspensions by vertical deposition method. The titania/silica hybrid membranes were formed by metal alkoxide precursors filling, naturally drying and sintering at 500° C for 2 h. The ordered macroporous titania membranes were obtained by extracting the silica template, following three-step filling. The pore size of the macroporous membrane was 220 nm, less than that of silica particles, and the size of titania nanoparticles in macroporous membrane was about 30 nm. The XRD pattern showed that the macroporous membranes consisted of nanocrystallites of anatase mixed with a magneli-phase of Ti5O9.