Preparation of porous Ti2O3 via a carbothermal reduction of titanium dioxide

Porous Ti2O3 was prepared via the carbothermal reduction of titanium dioxide using acetylene black or activated carbon as the reducing agent. The process was carried out at 1300–1350 °C in a flowing argon atmosphere or vacuum. The reduced sample had a carbon content of less than 0.007% and a Ti2O3 content of more than 98% when 6.98% acetylene black or 8.88% activated carbon was used as the reducing agent. The pore diameter, pore volume, and porosity of the sample prepared using 6.98% acetylene black were estimated to be 1–3 µm, 0.115–0.133 cm3 g−1, and 39–45%, respectively; those of the sample reduced using 8.88% activated carbon were 7–11 µm, 0.165–0.190 cm3 g−1, and 62–71%, respectively. The kinetic parameters of the carbothermal reduction of TiO2 were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry in a flowing Ar atmosphere.