Abstract Superacid sulfated TiO2 was prepared by the sol-gel method and tested as a titania precursor to obtaining a kaolinite/TiO2 nano-hybrid composite. Raman, FTIR, Zeta Potential, and XRD analyses allowed the identification of kaolinite and titania as well as the interactions between them to form the nanohybrid composite. SEM-FEG/TEM analyses clearly showed titanium nanocrystals adhered to the surface of kaolinite microparticles. Thermogravimetric analysis of the powders showed that the composite obtained has a tenuous thermal reinforcement due to the presence of TiO2. Furthermore, the composite has excellent photocatalytic activity, reaching up to about 97% of methylene blue degradation under UV-C radiation in 3 h. Therefore, this study proposes a simple, safe, and effective method for the use of sulfated TiO2 as a precursor in the synthesis of composite nanomaterials based on titania.

中文翻译：

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溶胶-凝胶法制备的超强酸硫酸化 TiO2 的合成及其作为二氧化钛前驱体在获得高岭石/TiO2 纳米杂化复合材料中的应用

摘要 采用溶胶-凝胶法制备超酸性硫酸化二氧化钛，并作为二氧化钛前驱体进行测试，获得高岭石/二氧化钛纳米杂化复合材料。拉曼、FTIR、Zeta 电位和 XRD 分析允许鉴定高岭石和二氧化钛以及它们之间的相互作用以形成纳米杂化复合材料。SEM-FEG/TEM 分析清楚地显示钛纳米晶体粘附在高岭石微粒的表面。粉末的热重分析表明，由于 TiO2 的存在，所获得的复合材料具有微弱的热增强作用。此外，该复合材料具有优异的光催化活性，在 UV-C 辐射下 3 小时内可降解约 97% 的亚甲蓝。因此，本研究提出了一种简单、安全、