PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTION CATALYST IN THE FORM OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE-BASED MESOPOROUS MATERIAL AND A METHOD FOR PREPARATION THEREOF

FIELD: catalyst preparation methods. ^ SUBSTANCE: catalyst containing crystalline anatase phase in amount at least 30% and nickel in amount 0.5 to 2% has porous structure with mean pore diameter 2 to 16 nm and specific surface at least 70 m2/g. When used to catalyze photochemical reaction of isolation of hydrogen from water-alcohol mixtures, it provides quantum yield of reaction 0.09-0.13. Preparation of titanium dioxide-based mesoporous material comprises adding titanium tetraalkoxide precursor and organic-nature template to aqueous-organic solvent, ageing reaction mixture to complete formation of spatial structure therefrom through consecutive sol and gel formation stages, separating reaction product, and processing it to remove template. Invention is characterized by that water-alcohol derivative contains no more than 7% water and template consists of at least one ligand selected from group of macrocyclic compounds, in particular oxa- and oxaazamacrocyclic compounds containing at least four oxygen atoms, and/or complexes of indicated macrocyclic compounds with metal ions selected from group of alkali metals or alkali-earth metal metals, or f-metals consisting, in particular, of lithium, potassium, sodium, rubidium, cesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, lanthanum, and cerium used in amounts from 0.001 to 0.2 mole per 1 mole precursor. Sol is formed by stirring reaction mixture at temperature not higher than 35°C. Once formation of spaced structure completed, mixture is held at the same temperature in open vessel to allow free access of water steam and, when template is removed from the mixture, mixture is first treated with nickel salt solution and then with alkali metal borohydride solution until metallic nickel is formed. ^ EFFECT: increased sorption and photocatalytic properties of catalyst and enabled reproducibility of its property complex. ^ 7 cl, 68 ex