Fabrication of TiO2 Nanotube by Electrochemical Anodization: Toward Photocatalytic Application

Abstract

In this study, a self-organized nanotubular titanium dioxide (TiO2) array was successfully produced by anodizing pure titanium in a mixture of glycerol, distilled water (8% vol.), and ammonium fluoride using a dual electrode system. The size control and distribution of the nanopores were performed in a DC voltage range varying from 30 V to 60 V. The diameter of TiO2 nanopores varies from 59 to 128 nm depending on the anodizing voltage. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis reveals that the as-prepared films are essentially composed of TiO2. According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy analysis, the nanotubular arrays of TiO2 annealed at 600°C for 2 hours are composed of a phase mixture of anatase and rutile. Mott-Schottky analysis showed that the TiO2 nanotubes are consistent with an n-type semiconductor with a donor density of about 1017 cm-3. Preliminary results on the photocatalytic degradation of a pharmaceutical pollutant showed that the TiO2 nanotubes can be used as a promising material for application in wastewater treatment.

Y-Branched Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes as a Potential Antimicrobial Coating for Implants

“…Small pits emerge on the compact layer surface, leading to the development of a nanoporous structure. In the final stage, the current density stabilizes at a constant value as a steady state is achieved, indicating the formation of TiO 2 nanotubes [31].…”

Synthesis of anodic TiO 2 nanotubes on indium tin oxide coated glass electrodes

“…Both TiO 2 and ITO films have been fabricated by various methods, such as chemical vapor deposition, sol‐gel, evaporation, sputtering, etc 10‐24,26‐28,33‐36 . As a method of deposition, magnetron sputtering is the most attractive process in terms of industrial productivity due to its potential for homogeneous large‐area coating, good reproducibility, and high deposition rate.…”

“…This method can be used to deposit coatings with superior mechanical resistance compared with, for example, sol‐gel coatings. Among TiO 2 fabrication methods, the anodization of titanium thin films in different electrolytes using a dual‐electrode system 22‐24 is the most effective way to produce highly ordered nanotubular arrays of this material. TiO 2 nanotubes prepared using this method have gained popularity in recent years due to their excellent performance in a variety of applications such as photocatalysts, 1,2 solar cells, 3,4 and gas sensors 5,6 .…”

“…8 TiO 2 nanotube arrays of TiO 2 (TNT) have many excellent properties, [9][10][11][12] such as specific surface area, high adsorption capacity, and so on. They are being applied to many fields, such as environmental applications, including the degradation of organic contaminants in water and purification of wastewater, 3,5,8,17,32 solar photovoltaic-based electricity production, 1,2,6,11,15,16,20,23,24,28 hydrogen generation by water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen, 17,32 gas sensors, 25 as an electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, 9 and so on. Because TiO 2 films have a high refractive index (n = 2.4) and demonstrate high photocatalytic activity, they are usually directly placed onto the top of transparent conducting oxides (TCO) like tindoped indium oxide, In 2 O 3 : Sn (indium tin oxide, ITO), fluorine or antimony doped tin oxide, SnO 2 :F (FTO), and SnO 2 : Sb (ATO) are particularly attractive in the fabrication of electro-optical and chromic devices.…”

“…Both TiO 2 and ITO films have been fabricated by various methods, such as chemical vapor deposition, sol-gel, evaporation, sputtering, etc. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][26][27][28][33][34][35][36] As a method of deposition, magnetron sputtering is the most attractive process in terms of industrial productivity due to its potential for homogeneous large-area coating, good reproducibility, and high deposition rate. This method can be used to deposit coatings with superior mechanical resistance compared with, for example, sol-gel coatings.…”