Title: Large-scale growth of single-crystalline TiO₂ nanowires and their visible-light photocatalytic activity

Authors: Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa; Eui-Tae Kim

Addresses: Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Vinh University, 182 Le Duan, Vinh, Vietnam ' Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daeduk Science Town, Daejeon 305-764, Korea

Abstract: Single-crystalline TiO₂ nanowires were successfully grown by oxidation of as-sputtered Ti films with ethanol. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies revealed that the nanowires had a single-crystalline structure and grew along the [110] axis. The formation of the TiO₂ thin film was found to play an important role in the nanowire growth due to the ability to reduce the diffusion rates of Ti atoms from Ti films for the limited nucleation by thermally activated. The growth of TiO₂ nanowires was determined by the reaction of ethanol with Ti diffusion which was supplied from the Ti films. The TiO₂ nanowires showed an efficient visible-light photocatalytic activity. Moreover, after thermal annealing, both UV and visible-light photocatalytic activities of TiO₂ nanowires were enhanced significantly due to the increase in the surface defects on the nanowires.

Keywords: TiO2 nanowires; rutile; photocatalysis; thermal oxidation; titania thin films; photocatalytic activity; nanotechnology; ethanol; surface defects.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2013.053136

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2013 Vol.10 No.3/4, pp.228 - 234

Published online: 05 Apr 2013 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article