3.1.2. Thermal analysis
The DTA–TGA curves of as-prepared TiO2 particles are
shown in Fig. 2. In the TGA curves, the mass loss occurred in
three stages, i.e. up to 300 1C with mass loss of about 10%, in
the temperature range of 300–500 1C with mass loss of about
16%, and in the temperature range of 500–1000 1C with mass
loss of about 9%. In the DTA curve, the endothermic peaks at
about 132 1C and 285 1C were due to the dehydration of
physically adsorbed water and release of hydroxyl groups,
respectively, accompanying with a first stage mass loss of
about 10% upto 300 1C in the TGA curve. The exothermic
peaks at around 335 1C and 464 1C accompanying with
endothermic peak at around 415 1C corroborated to the
decomposition of surfactants (SDS) and release of inorganic
moieties from the precursor (TIOS).