The large-scale synthesis of one-dimensional TiO2 nanostructures using palladium as catalyst at low temperature

The synthesis of TiO2 nanostructures including nanowires and nanobelts has been demonstrated experimentally by anodization of Ti foil in an electrolyte, and by treatment in a PdCl2 ethanol solution together with UV light irradiation and annealing at a temperature below 800 deg. C. The TiO2 nanotube arrays resulting from the anodization were used as source precursor and transformed into nanowires and nanobelts respectively with high efficiency during the subsequent processes. The resulting TiO2 nanowires and nanobelts, characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman and surface photovoltage (SPV) spectroscopy, are single rutile crystals of high quality. In addition to the synthesis of the nanostructure at low temperature, this method also shows great advantages for the selectable morphology of the final TiO2 nanostructures via adjustment of the UV light irradiation time and annealing temperature.