Nanostructured Titania Templated by Natural Cellulose Substance: Effect of Vanadium-Doping on the Anatase-to-Rutile Phase Transformation

Vanadium-doped rutile titania nanomaterial was synthesized by calcination of titania/vanadia composite thin gel films pre-coated natural cellulose substance (e.g., ordinary filter paper) at a relatively low temperature (600 °C). A better mixture of titanium and vanadium species is achieved during the layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition process with cellulose nanofiber as a template, leading to more vanadium dopants incorporated in the titania crystal lattices. By sufficient vanadium-doping, the phase transformation temperature from anatase to rutile phase of titania is decreased effectively. The doping mode and existing state of vanadium in the titania nanomaterials and the effect on the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation have been studied. This strategy provides a facile and effective route to facilitate the phase transformation of various nanostructured metal oxides templated by natural cellulose substance through doping appropriate functional metal ions in the LbL deposition process.