Effect of the calcining temperature on the porosity of the titanium dioxide powders obtained by Polymeric Precursor Method

Ceramics materials obtained by Polymeric Precursor Method exhibit mechanisms of the pore formation and elimination dependents on the decomposition kinetics of the residual organic matter of the polyester. The mechanism of pore elimination seems to occur by disrupting of the wall among the pores because it leads to the consequent pore coalescence and increasing in pore volume, which posses higher pore diameters. In this case, it was observed that the porosity decreasing occurs by pore wall moving after that the residual organic matter is eliminated from the pore inside. The pore diameter associated to the highest volume desorption occurred for the material obtained after calcining at 450°C is approximately 1,7 nm, what seems to be related to the amorphous carbon accumulated inside the pores, once that the pore volume decreases more effectively for the material obtained by calcining at 550°C, making the maximum volume situates at 2,0 nm. (author)