Monodisperse rutile TiO2 nanorod-based microspheres with various diameters: Hydrothermal synthesis, formation mechanism and diameter- and crystallinity-dependent photocatalytic properties

Sha Tian, Heqing Yang, Meng Cui, Ruiyu Shi, Hua Zhao, Xuewen Wang, Xinyue Wang, Lina Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Monodisperse microspheres constructed with rutile TiO2 nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction of TiCl3 with Na 2C2O4, ethylene glycol (EG) and H2O at 140-220°C for 4-12 h. The diameter of the microspheres can be changed in the range of 190-1200 nm by tuning the reaction temperature and time. The constituent nanorods grow along the c-axis of rutile, the side facets of which are (110), (1̄10),(11̄0), and (110). The formation of the rod-like structure results from the selective adsorption of C2O 42- ions on {110} prismatic faces of rutile TiO 2 nanorods. The hydrogen bonding formed between rutile TiO 2 nanorods adsorbing EG drives the formation of the nanorod-based spherical nanoarchitectures. The photocatalytic ability of the as-prapared the anatase-rutile composite TiO2 nanorod-based nanospheres with a diameter of about 190 nm is stronger than that of rutile TiO2 nanorod-based nanospheres with diameters of 500 and 1000 nm.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)149-158
Number of pages10
JournalApplied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing
Volume104
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2011
Externally publishedYes

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