An Inexpensive Furnace for Calcination: Simple TiO2 Synthesis
Supan Yodyingyong and Bhinyo Panijpan
Institute for Innovation and Development of Learning Process, Mahidol University, Rajchataywee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Wannapong Triampo
R&D Group of Biological and Environmental Physics (BIOPHYSICS), Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rajchataywee, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Darapond Triampo
Department of Chemistry (R3/1), Capability Building Research Unit for Alternative Energy, Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
Calcination is a thermal process applied to solid materials to effect a thermal decomposition, a phase transition, or removal of a volatile component. A simple and inexpensive alcohol burner is used to replace an expensive furnace for the calcination process in this work. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle synthesis was selected to demonstrate the use of the alcohol burner. X-ray diffractograms, TEM micrographs, and BET surface area analysis show that the TiO2 powders obtained by such inexpensive calcination process can yield TiO2 with comparable degree of crystallinity, smaller particle size, and higher specific surface area compared to commercial TiO2 nanoparticles.
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