Synthesis and characterization of nano titania powder with high photoactivity for gas-phase photo-oxidation of benzene from TiOCl(2) aqueous solution at low temperatures.

Nano rutile, anatase, and bicrystalline (anatase + brookite) titania powders with an average crystal size of below 10 nm are prepared from aqueous TiOCl(2) solution at low temperatures by adjusting pH values of the starting solution and adding different additives. Adding a small amount of octyl phenol poly(ethylene oxide) into aqueous TiOCl(2) solution leads to the change of particle morphologies of obtained nano titania from needlelike to nano spherical rutile crystals. Amorphous-anatase transformation of titania could proceed in liquid-solid reaction at low temperatures, even at room temperature.