Atomic structure of nanometer-sized amorphous TiO2
Amorphous titania (TiO{sub 2}) is an important precursor for synthesis of single-phase nanocrystalline anatase. We synthesized x-ray amorphous titania by hydrolysis of titanium ethoxide at the ice point. Transmission electron microscopy examination and nitrogen gas adsorption indicated the particle size of the synthesized titania is {approx} 2 nm. Synchrotron wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) was used to probe the atomic correlations in this amorphous sample. Atomic pair-distribution function (PDF) derived from Fourier transform of the WAXS data was used for reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulations of the atomic structure of the amorphous TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to generate input structures for the RMC. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) simulations were used to screen candidate structures obtained from the RMC by comparing with experimental XAS data. The structure model that best describes both the WAXS and XAS data shows that an amorphous TiO{sub 2} particle consists of a highly distorted shell and a small strained anatase-like crystalline core. The average coordination number of Ti is 5.3 and most Ti-O bonds are populated around 1.940 {angstrom}. Relative to bulk TiO{sub 2}, the reduction of the coordination number is primarily due to the truncation of the Ti-O octahedra at the amorphous nanoparticle surface and the shortening of the Ti-O bond length to the bond contraction in the distorted shell. The preexistence of the anatase-like core may be critical to the formation of single-phase nanocrystalline anatase in crystallization of amorphous TiO{sub 2} upon heating.
- Research Organization:
- Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Earth Sciences Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 951193
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-1722E
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Vol. 78; ISSN 1098-0121
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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