Solvent-Driven Self-Assembly of One-Dimensional Lepidocrocite Titanium-Oxide-Based Nanofilaments

Abstract

Herein, the self-assembly of one-dimensional titanium oxide lepidocrocite nanofilaments in 10 different water miscible organic solvents was investigated. The nanofilament snippets, with minimal cross sections of ∼5 × 7 Å2 and lengths around 30 nm, begin as an aqueous colloidal suspension. Upon addition, and brief mixing, of the colloidal suspension into a given solvent, a multitude of morphologiesseemingly based on the hydrophilicity and polarity of the solventemerge. These morphologies vary between sheets, highly networked webs, and discrete fibers, all with no apparent change in the lepidocrocite structure. On the micro- and nanoscale, the morphologies are reminiscent of biological, rather than inorganic, materials. The results of this work give insight into the self-assembly of these materials and offer new pathways for novel macrostructures/morphologies assembled from these highly adsorbent and catalytically active low-dimensional materials.