Influence of the Preparation Temperature on the Photocatalytic Activity of 3D-Ordered Macroporous Anatase Formed with an Opal Polymer Template

Even if many aspects of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) titania have been extensively studied, the interplay between the amorphous and crystalline components of their skeleton wall has not attracted too much attention, although it should strongly influence the properties of these materials. In order to gain new insight on this interplay, we have studied in detail the wall structure of three 3DOM titania samples prepared by heating the 3DOM titania precursor at 673, 773, and 873 K by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, N2 adsorption/desorption, pore-size distribution, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and IHmagic-angle-…