Interconversion of Rutile TiO2 and Layered Ramsdellite-Like Titanates: New Route to Elongated Mesoporous Rutile Nanoplates

We report the first soft chemistry synthesis of a new “layered ramsdellite-like” titanate structure, NaTi2O4(OH) (lattice parameters: primitive monoclinic system, a = 4.09 nm, b = 0.29 nm, c = 0.94 nm, and β = 80°), with high-aspect-ratio, platelike morphology (diameter. 20−200 nm; thickness. 10−40 nm; length. 0.05−5 μm) from TiO2 rutile. The newly prepared titanate can be transformed back to TiO2 rutile with uniquely shaped mesoporous elongated nanoplate morphology. The reaction proceeds via the disintegration of rutile in NaOH(aq) into NaTi2O4(OH). Ion exchange of Na+ in NaTi2O4(OH) into H+ forms another new layered ramsdellite-like titanate, HTi2O4(OH). A final topotatic condensation of the titanate layers in HTi2O4(OH) by heat treatment at relatively low 673 K produces the mesoporous TiO2 rutile product with highly exposed (110) surfaces.