Abstract
SEM images of the TiO2-SnO2 samples with different Sn-to-Ti ratios calcined at 1100°C.
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•A modified sol-gel route to yield TiO2-SnO2 samples from cheap source is proposed.•A series of TiO2-SnO2 samples with different Sn/Ti is systematically synthesized.•The influence of SnO2 on the mesostructure of TiO2-SnO2 composites is evaluated.•Calcined TiO2-SnO2 composites exhibit superior morphologies and crystal structure.
Herein the influence of SnO2 on the optical, morphology and phase structure of mesoporous TiO2-SnO2 composites was examined. Composites with Sn/Ti ratio ranging from 0.1 to 5 were synthesized using less expensive sources in the absence of additives. The obtained samples were examined by XRD, HRTEM, SEM-EDAX, XPS, UV–vis DRS, XRF, TGA and nitrogen gas physisorption studies analyses. The physicochemical properties of the TiO2-SnO2 systems depended mainly on the Sn-to-Ti ratio, calcination temperature and the interaction between Sn4+and Ti4+. XRD results depicted that samples with Sn/Ti=0.1 calcined at ≤600°C exhibited pure anatase TiO2 crystals and the tendency of increasing Sn4+ content facilitated a phase transformation to attain rutile structure. Optical analyses of the samples showed that the absorption of the samples can be extended into the visible region. This study provides a systematic and economical method for large-scale production of TiO2 based composites with desirable properties for various applications.