Dextrose-templated microwave-assisted combustion synthesis of spongy metal oxides

We report microwave-assisted combustion synthesis of porous nanocrystalline titania and carbon coated titania using dextrose as a template and compare the product with that obtained using a conventional heating furnace. Out of three compositions, namely, 1:1, 1:3, and 1:5 (metal:dextrose), 1:3 favors formation of consistent porous structures. The samples were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray mapping. This general and eco-friendly method uses a benign natural polymer, dextrose, to create spongy porous structures and can be extended to other transition metal oxides such as ZrO₂, Al₂O₃ and SiO₂.