Mesoporous titania nanofibers by solution blow spinning.

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology

M. González-Abrego1, A. Hernández-Granados2, C. Guerrero-Bermea1, A. Martínez de la
Cruz1, Domingo Garcia-Gutierrez,1 S. Sepúlveda-Guzmán1, R. Cruz-Silva3*

1. FIME-CIIDIT, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Ave. Universidad s/n, Ciudad

Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, C.P. 66451, Mexico.
2. Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma
del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, C.P. 62209,
Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
3. Research Center for Exotic Nanocarbons Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato,
Nagano 380-8553, Japan.
Corresponding author: Rodolfo Cruz-Silva (rcruzsilva@shinshu-u.ac.jp).  
 
Supplementary information: 
Table S-I. Additional experimental conditions used for the preparation of the blow spun
titania nanofibers.
Table S-II. Crystallite size of the blow spun titania nanofiber samples calcined at 500 ˚C.
Figure S1. Heat-treatment profiles for the titania nanofibers prepared at different
temperatures.
Figure S2. a) Kubelka–Munk absorbance and b) Calculations of bandgap using the plot of
(KM*h)1/2 versus energy for the blow-spun titania nanofibers (blue line), F127-templated
blow spun titania nanofibers (red line) and P123-templated blow spun titania nanofibers
(black line) samples calcined at 500 °C.
Figure S3. X-ray spectroscopic characterization of the titania nanofibers after heat treatment.
The PVP-templated nanofibers are shown in blue whereas the nanofibers prepared using the
pluronic F127 and P123 polymers as templates are shown in red and black, respectively. a)
XPS Wide-scan spectra and b) Narrow-scan Ti 2p core-level spectra of the titania nanofibers.
Figure S4. Cumulative pore size distribution of a) blow spun titania nanofibers b) F127-
templated blow spun titania nanofibers and c) P123-templated blow spun titania nanofibers
samples calcined at 500 °C.

                                                       
*
E-mail: rcruzsilva@shinshu-u.ac.jp; Tel: + 81-(0)26-269-5655
Table S-I. Additional experimental conditions used for the preparation of the blow spun
titania nanofibers.

Composition(mass ratios) Heat treatment Diameter 

Run Polymer carrier PVP/Pluronic/EtOH/
Ac.Ac/H2O/iPr-Ti (°C) (nm) (nm)

1 PVP only 1/0/10/4/0/1.9 500 139 57

2 PVP only 1/0/10/4/0/1.9 600 122 59
3 PVP only 1/0/10/4/0/1.9 700 125 33
4 PVP + P123 1/0.24/10/4/0.6/1.9 500 134 50
5 PVP + P123 1/0.20/10/4/0.5/1.9 500 185 54
6 PVP + P123 1/0.16/10/4/0.4/1.9 500 176 57
7 PVP + F127 1/0.8/10/4/0/1.9 500 273 184
8 PVP + F127 1/0.7/10/4/0/1.9 500 315 136
9 PVP + F127 1/0.5/10/4/0/1.9 500 139 60
 
 
 
Table S-II. Crystallite size of the blow spun titania nanofiber samples calcined at 500 ˚C.

Crystallite size Crystallite size

Sample
TEM (nm) from XRD a (nm)
TiO2 nanofibers 22.11 18.26
P123-templated TiO2 nanofibers 16.58 13.14
F127-templated TiO2 nanofibers 14.34 12.39
a
Calculations done using Scherrer’s equation and the (1 0 1) diffraction peak of the anatase phase.

   
  

 
F
Figure S1. Heat-treatm
ment profiless for the titaania nanofib
bers prepareed at differen
nt
teemperatures.
 

 
Figure S2. a) Kubelka–Munk absorbance and b) Calculations of bandgap using the plot of
(F(R)*h)1/2 versus energy for the blow spun titania nanofibers (blue line), F127-templated
blow spun titania nanofibers (red line) and P123-templated blow spun titania nanofibers
(black line) samples calcined at 500 °C.
Figure S3. X-ray spectroscop
s pic characterrization of the
t titania nanofibers
n aafter heat treeatment.
The PV
VP templateed nanofiberrs are show
wn in blue whereas
w the nanofibers prepared using
u the
pluronicc F127 andd P123 poly
ymers as tem
mplates are shown in red
r and blaack, respectiively. a)
XPS W
Wide-scan sppectra and b)) Narrow-sccan Ti 2p co
ore-level spectra of thee titania nan
nofibers.
Figure S4. Cumulative pore size distribution of a) blow spun titania nanofibers b) blow spun
F127 templated titania nanofibers and c) blow spun P123 templated titania nanofibers
samples calcined at 500 °C.