Versatility of Laser Pyrolysis Applied to the Synthesis of TiO2 Nanoparticles - Application to UV Attenuation

TiO2 nanoparticles show interesting catalytic and optical properties and are therefore highly demanded for several applications. In this paper, we show that pure and N‐doped TiO2 powders with an average diameter as low as 8 nm can be synthesized by laser pyrolysis, with the use of an aerosol of TTIP (titanium tetraisopropoxide) as the main precursor sensitized by C2H4. We demonstrate the possibility to control the anatase/rutile phase ratio over a large range, which was not achieved before, by tuning the experimental parameters. N‐doped particles have also been produced for the first time by this method by using a one‐step process through addition of NH3. First results illustrating the consequences in terms of UV absorption properties are also presented and correlated with the structural evolution and the presence of a doping element.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)