Nanostructured Titania–Diphosphonate Hybrid Materials with a Porous Hierarchy

An organic–inorganic hybrid nanostructured material of titania–diphosphonate (Ti‐HEDP) was prepared from a simple self‐assembly process with the precursor tetrabutyl titanate and 1‐hydroxyethane‐1,1‐diphosphonic acid (HEDP). The prepared hybrid Ti‐HEDP has a semicrystalline anatase phase, exhibiting a hierarchical macroporous structure composed of mesostructured Ti‐HEDP nanorods with a length of 80–150 nm and a thickness of 18–38 nm. The BET surface area is 257 m2/g. The 1‐hydroxyethane‐1,1‐diyl‐bridged organophosphonate groups were homogeneously incorported into the network of the hierarchical nanostructured/porous solid, as revealed by FT‐IR spectroscopy, MAS NMR spectroscopy, XPS, and TGA measurements. The optical property, photocatalytic activity, and metal ion adsorption ability of the hierarchical Ti‐HEDP materials were also investigated, suggesting that they have potential applications in catalysis and adsorption.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)