A mesoporous iron-titanium oxide composite prepared sonochemically

Synthesis of a composite mesoporous iron-titanium oxide by ultrasound irradiation is here reported. Iron-(III) ethoxide and titanium(IV) isopropoxide were used as precursors, and dodecylamine was used as the templating agent. The synthesis was completed in 6 h in one stage. The product was characterized by XRD, TEM, DSC, TGA, XPS, EDX, and BET methods. Magnetic properties were studied by magnetization and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Short-range ordered structure of the product was demonstrated by low-angle XRD measurements. After heat treatment, this structure collapsed and crystalline phases of γ-Fe₂O₃ oxide and anatase of TiO₂ were observed. The calcinated material showed slight magnetic properties corresponding to the amount of iron oxide. The removal of the surfactant by extraction with diluted nitric acid resulted in the increase of surface area to 650 m²/g and the pore volume to 0.45 mL/g. The catalytic properties of the material were examined in the oxidation of cyclohexane under mild conditions, and a high conversion of the substrate to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone was obtained.