Nanosized TiO2-Ag-SiO2 sols were prepared with modified sol-gel method using reduction
agent. The physical properties of the prepared particles were investigated by TEM, XRD and FT-IR.
The titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP, 98% Aldrich), teraethylorthosilicate (TEOS, 98% Aldrich) and
silver nitrate were used as precursors of titania, silica and silver, respectively. Sodium citrate tribasic
dihydrate (C6H5Na3.2H2O, Aldrich) was used as a reduction agent. This paper presents the effect of
nanosized TiO2-Ag-SiO2 sols on the formation of methane hydrate in a semi-batch vessel. The
micrographs of TEM showed that the TiO2-Ag-SiO2 particles possessed a spherical morphology with
a narrow size distribution. The crystallite size of particles decreased with an increasing the SiO2
content. In addition, the water solution with 1.0 wt% of TiO2-Ag-SiO2 particles acted as promoter for
methane hydrate formation.
Preparation of sub-micro SiO2 particles by sol-gel method