Résumé
Silica–titania materials with improved catalytic performance were elaborated as mesoporous microparticlesby combining sol–gel and spray-drying processes with the self-assembly properties of α-chitin nanorodsacting as biotemplates. Three different synthesis approaches are discussed, leading to materials with variedtextural and chemical characteristics studied by SEM, N2 volumetry, TEM, XPS and DR-UV techniques. Theuse of water or ethanol as initial solvent for chitin nanorod suspensions, as well as the mixing conditions ofthe precursors, has been shown to have a significant impact on the final properties. Materials of specificsurface areas of up to 590 m2 g−1 and porous volumes of up to 0.84 mL g−1, with low surface Si/Ti ratio,could be disclosed. Properties were further investigated by employing the silica–titania materials as heterogeneouscatalysts for the sulfoxidation of bulky model compounds. The location of Ti active sites at thepore surface has been maximized and allows for improved productivity.