A kinetic model for two-step phase transformation of hydrothermally treated nanocrystalline anatase

A kinetic model that enables quantitative assessment of the contribution to the rate of phase transformation by dissolution–precipitation and by interface–nucleation has been developed. Results demonstrate that, under highly acidic, hydrothermal conditions, anatase phase transforms to rutile predominantly by dissolution–precipitation, presumably due to the comparatively high solubility of TiO2 at 250 °C and pH 1.0. In contrast, the phase...