Patent ID: 7842641

Claim:
A process for preparing a nanocomposite particle comprising (a) titanium dioxide nanoparticles and (b) metal oxide nanoparticles wherein said nanocomposite particle has an average pore volume between the titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the metal oxide nanoparticles of greater than about 0.3 cm 3 /g, said process comprising: (a) forming a slurry comprising titanium dioxide nanoparticles, at least one soluble metal oxide precursor of zirconium dioxide, cerium dioxide, tin oxide, or niobium oxide, and a solvent that is capable of dissolving the metal oxide precursor(s); (b) precipitating the at least one soluble metal oxide precursor to form a slurry comprising titanium dioxide nanoparticles, at least one amorphous hydrated metal oxide, and the solvent; (c) hydrothermally treating the slurry of step (b), wherein the at least one amorphous hydrated metal oxide is converted to metal oxide nanoparticles to produce said nanocomposite particle comprising titanium oxide nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles; and (d) optionally, calcining the nanocomposite particle from step (c), wherein a surface stabilizer is added before or immediately after the hydrothermal treatment.