Premium
The Reductive Dehydration of Cellulose by Solid/Gas Reaction with TiCl 4 at Low Temperature: A Cheap, Simple, and Green Process for Preparing Anatase Nanoplates and TiO 2 /C Composites
Author(s) -
Plumejeau Sandrine,
Rivallin Matthieu,
Brosillon Stephan,
Ayral André,
Heux Laurent,
Boury Bruno
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201603086
Subject(s) - cellulose , anatase , materials science , photocatalysis , chemical engineering , anhydrous , reagent , reactivity (psychology) , titanium , titanium dioxide , oxide , chloride , nanostructure , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , composite material , metallurgy , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering
Metal oxides and metal oxide/carbon composites are entering the development of new technologies and should therefore to be prepared by sustainable chemistry processes. Therefore, a new aspect of the reactivity of cellulose is presented through its solid/gas reaction with vapour of titanium(IV) chloride in anhydrous conditions at low temperature (80 °C). This reaction leads to two transformations both for cellulose and titanium(IV) chloride. A reductive dehydration of cellulose is seen at the lowest temperature ever reported and results in the formation of a carbonaceous fibrous solid as the only carbon‐containing product. Simultaneously, the in situ generation of water leads to the formation of titanium dioxide with an unexpected nanoplate morphology (ca. 50 nm thickness) and a high photocatalytic activity. We present the evidence showing the evolution of the cellulose and the TiO 2 nanostructure formation, along with its photocatalytic activity. This low‐temperature process avoids any other reagents and is among the greenest processes for the preparation of anatase and also for TiO 2 /carbon composites. The anisotropic morphology of TiO 2 questions the role of the cellulose on the growing process of these nanoparticles.