Physicochemical characterization of metal hexacyanometallate–TiO2 composite materials

Abstract

The paper describes the synthesis and characterization of novel TiO₂–metal hexacyanometallates (MHCMs) composite materials. The starting material, TiO₂, was modified by addition of cobalt-hexacyanoferrate (CoHCF) or iron-hexacyanocobaltate (FeHCC) at various concentrations. The resulting composites were characterized as follows: cyclic voltammetry (CV) followed the formation of TiO₂–MHCM clusters, TEM micrographs studied their morphology, XAS and XPS data indicated that MHCM bonds to TiO₂ through the nitrogen atom of its –CN group and modifies the environment of Ti compared to that of pure anatase. As expected, and confirmed by UV-Vis and XP-valence band data, the electronic properties of TiO₂ were substantially modified: the edge in the composite materials shifted by about −2.0 eV relative to TiO₂.