FTIR spectrum was used to identify the functional groups on the carbon microspheres after heating under microwave.  New bands in comparison with glucose at ~1700 and ~1640 cm-1 were attributed to carboxyl groups and aromatic C=C vibrations respectively, supporting the concept of aromatization of glucose during microwave-assisted heating. The presence of bands of carboxyl (-C=O) groups at ~1700 cm-1 and -OH stretching vibration at ~3400 cm-1 indicated that the reactive products with a higher abundance of hydroxyl functional groups, such as -COOH, were formed under the presence of hydrochloride acid and microwave irradiation. The decrease of bands at 1000-1300 cm-1 in carbon microspheres, which assigned to the C-OH stretching and -OH bending, also implied the condensation reactions and polymerization.

All peaks in XRD of the calcined TiO2-C could be indexed as anatase phase of TiO2.

The X-ray diffraction (XRD) was analyzed with a diffractometer (RIGAKU Max-2250PC X-ray diffractometer) employing Cu Ka radiation. The data analysis requires the software of MDI jade. 

The functional groups of carbon spheres was analyzed by using US Nicolet/NEXUS-670 FTIR.