Anatase Nanocrystals Covalently Functionalized with EDTA-diol: Interaction with Aromatic Sulfur

The current study addresses the generation of surface-modified nanograined anatase (5 nm) by a single-step in situ process. The EDTA-diol (ester) functionality existing on the surface of anatase nanoparticles was proved with the help of a battery of physicochemical techniques, including FTIR, XPS, and NMR spectral measurements. The sample showed excellent dispersity in ethanol. The anatase lattice showed disorder and had oxygen vacancies. From the XPS analysis, the existence of 14% of Ti3+ was established. The functionalized sample remained thermally stable up to 250 °C, beyond which it transformed into a graphite–titania nanocomposite. The interfacial ligand (ester) to metal (Ti) charge transfer (LMCT) transitions were present in the UV–visible spectrum of the sample and indicated the functionalization to be covalent. Unsaturated OH-groups on the surface yielded a ζ-potential value of −39.8 mV. The covalently functionalized nanotitania was exploited in the adsorptive desulfurization of thiophene, an aromatic sulfur model compound. The consequences of surface adsorption of thiophene were analyzed with the help of UV–visible, FTIR, and 1H and 13C NMR spectra and EDS and XPS measurements. The adsorption data, derived from the batch process, were fitted successfully to pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Temkin model. The adsorption capacity of covalently functionalized titania was compared with several other high surface area adsorbents containing thiophilic metal ions.