Mesoporous TiO₂ thin films exhibiting enhanced thermal stability and controllable pore size: preparation and photocatalyzed destruction of cationic dyes.

Ordered mesostructured TiO2 thin films were constructed through a method that combined sol-gel with evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA). It was found that the calcination temperature, as well as the type of block copolymer, could vary the TiO2 mesoporous structure. Based on tension stress calculated by the surface energy of crystallites and the compression calculated by interface energy between the crystallites, the thermodynamic study for the sample had been carried out and the critical crystallite size expression of the mesoporous film was presented for the prediction of the thermal stability of the mesoporous structure at high temperature. It was also found that varying the mass ratio of templating agent to inorganic precursor could adjust the pore size of mesoporous TiO2. The pore size regulating mechanism had been discussed. The sample calcined at 450-500 °C, which had a higher specific surface area and larger pore size, exhibited higher photocatalyzed destruction capability of Methylene Blue.