Preparation and characterization of mesoporous electrospun (SiO2)0.59(CaO)0.36−x(P2O5)0.05(TiO2)x glasses (x = 0 and 0.05 mol%)

In this study, mesoporous glass nanotubes in both systems of 59SiO2–36CaO–5P2O5 (mol%) and 59SiO2–31CaO–5P2O5–5TiO2 (mol%) were successfully prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via coaxial electrospinning process. Then, the significant effects of TiO2 addition on nanotubes morphology and adsorption were investigated. The PVP was extracted through calcination at 600 °C with heating rate of 2 °C/min for 5 h in the air. The characteristics of the samples were identified by field emission scanning electron microscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption porosimetry (BET). The results indicated that the sample with additive TiO2 had larger mean diameter with non-smooth surface rather than without TiO2. After calcination at 600 °C for 5 h, the sample with TiO2 had aggregation and the particles stuck together, while without TiO2 presence a homogeneous structure without any agglomeration was observed. TiO2 addition was also effective on the adsorption; the BET surface area, pore volume, and pore size from 167 m2/g, 0.5 cm3/g, and 11.9 nm were modified to 127 m2/g, 0.23 cm3/g, and 8.2 nm respectively.