Selective Preparation of Macroporous Conductive Oxide Ti_nO_2n-1 (n = 2, 3, 4, 6) Monoliths

Abstract

We report selective preparation of macroporous monoliths of conductive titanium oxides Ti_nO_2n-1 (n = 2, 3, 4, 6) as a single phase, by reducing a macroporous TiO₂ monolith using zirconium getter. All the reduced monoliths have uniform pore size distribution, retaining that of the precursor TiO₂ monoliths. Furthermore, their bulk densities of 1.8 g cm^-3 are about half smaller and their porosities of 60% are about three times larger than that of commercial porous Ebonex (shaped conductive Ti_nO_2n-1). The obtained Ti_nO_2n-1 (n = 2, 3, 4, 6) macroporous monoliths could find their applications as electrodes for many electrochemical reactions.