Preparation of Necklace-like TiO_2 Nanoparticles Templated with L-Phenylalanine Derivative Based on Supramolecular Hydrogel

The necklace-like TiO_2 nanoparticles were prepared by a sol-gel polymerization and subse- quent calcinations.The aggregates of hydrogelator,tetraethylammonium 3-{[(2S)-2-(octadecylamino)- 3-phenylpropanoyl]amino}butyrate(abbreviated as TC_(18)PheBu)in aqueous solution were used as the templates and tetrabutyl titanate(Ti(OBu)_4)was used as the source of titanium in the preparation of necklace-like TiO_2 nanoparticles.The images of FE-SEM indicated that the average diameters of TiO_2 nanoparticles were in the range of 200-400nm.The formation mechanism of necklace-like TiO_2 nanoparticles was discussed by FT-IR analysis,which indicated that the necklace-like TiO_2 nanoparticles were formed through the electrostatic interaction between positive charged TC_(18)PheBu and negative charged oligomers formed by the hydrolysis of Ti(OBu)_4.The XRD analysis indicated that the TiO_2 nanoparticles were in the form of anatase crystals.