Preparation and exfoliation of layered titanium butyl phosphates

Titanium butyl phosphates (TiBP) synthesized by reacting Ti(SO4)2 with a mixture of mono-(C4H9PO4H2) and dibutyl phosphates ((C4H9)2PO4H) in aqueous ethanol solution at 25 °C were characterized by various conventional techniques. XRD pattern of TiBP possessed a peak at 2θ = 5.5° and a broad hump at 2θ = 15–30°. This fact indicated that the material was composed of a multilayer alternating bilayer of butyl groups of the phosphates and amorphous titanium phosphate phase. The TiBP was spherical particles with a size of ca. 100 nm and the chemical formula of this material was Ti((C4H9O)2PO2)x(C4H9OPO3)y(OH)z. The TiBP possessed a UV absorption property due to charge transfer of O2− ➔ Ti4+. The layered structure of TiBP was exfoliated in ethanol at 25 °C up to TiBP concentration of 1.0 × 105 ppm to form nanosheet. The nanosheet dispersing solution exhibited a UV absorption property and the property depends on nanosheet concentration.