Effect of reaction atmosphere on particle morphology of TiO2 produced by thermal decomposition of titanium tetraisopropoxide

Thermal decomposition of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was carried out in varying reaction atmospheres: nitrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen plus water vapor. The effect of reaction atmosphere on the morphology, size, and crystalline structure of produced TiO2 particles was studied. The reactor used was similar to the microreactor proposed earlier by Park et al. (2001, J. Nanopart. Res., 3, 309–319), but for a modification in the precursor evaporator. The reactor temperature was varied from 300 to 700°C and the TTIP concentration in the evaporator from 1.0 to 7.0 mol%, holding the reactor residence time at 0.7 s. The primary-particle size was in the range 25–250 nm, varying with operating condition. The crystalline structure was amorphous in nitrogen, a mixture of rutile and anatase in nitrogen plus water vapor, and anatase in oxygen atmospheres. In nitrogen, agglomerates composed of very small particles whose individual boundaries are not clearly distinguished were produced. In oxygen, the particles composing an agglomerate became larger and were clearly spherical. As the atmosphere was varied to the nitrogen plus water vapor, the particle size increased further. The variation of primary particle size with reaction atmosphere was discussed in comparison with previous experimental data.