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Abstract

TiO2@SBA15-like mesoporous nanocomposite, where the symbol @ indicates inclusion, were prepared by introducing Ti by a grafting technique (TiO2 loadings about 10% wt.) and characterized by different methods. Three different Ti species were evidenced to be present. The first two derive from the reaction of Ti with silanol groups in the corona area of inner SBA15-like walls leading to the formation of either TiO4 tetrahedral sites and/or pseudo-octahedral surface sites anchored by two (or more) Si or Ti ions through bridging oxygen. The third species derives from the reaction of Ti in the regions with high silanol density, e.g. in the micropores located in the corona of SBA15-like channels, leading to the formation of TiO2-like nanoareas with dimensions of around 1 -2 nm and having characteristics different from those of crystalline titania as shown by FTIR data.