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Nano Research 2017, 10(3): 1021-1032 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1361-x
Research Article | Issue | Published: 18 January 2017

In situ growth of single-crystal TiO2 nanorod arrays on Ti substrate: Controllable synthesis and photoelectrochemical water splitting

Show Author's Information Tingting Zhang1,2,  Zia Ur Rahman1,  Ning Wei3,  Yupeng Liu1,  Jun Liang1,  Daoai Wang1,3( )
State Key Laboratory of Solid LubricationLanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLanzhou730000China
University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
Qingdao Center for Resource Chemistry and New MaterialsQingdao266100China
Keywords:
photoelectrochemical, hydrogenation, TiO2 nanorod arrays, in situ preparation, through-hole anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) mask
Cite this article:
Zhang T, Rahman ZU, Wei N, et al. In situ growth of single-crystal TiO2 nanorod arrays on Ti substrate: Controllable synthesis and photoelectrochemical water splitting. Nano Research, 2017, 10(3): 1021-1032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1361-x
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Despite one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor nanostructure arrays attracting increasing attention due to their many advantages, highly ordered TiO2 nanorod arrays (TiO2 NR) are rarely grown in situ on Ti substrates. Herein, a feasible method to fabricate TiO2 NRs on Ti substrates by using a through-mask anodization process is reported. Self-ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) overlaid on Ti substrate was used as a nanotemplate to induce the growth of TiO2 NRs. The NR length and diameter could be controlled by adjusting anodization parameters such as electrochemical anodization voltage, anodization time and temperature, and electrolyte composition. Furthermore, according to the proposed NR formation mechanism, the anodized Ti ions migrate and deposit in the AAO nanochannels to form Ti(OH)4 or amorphous TiO2 NRs under electric field, owing to the confinement effect of the template. Photoelectrochemical tests indicated that, after hydrogenation, the TiO2 NRs presented higher photocurrent density under simulated sunlight and visible light illuminations, suggesting their potential use in photoelectrochemical water splitting, photocatalysis, solar cells, and sensors.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

In situ growth of single-crystal TiO2 nanorod arrays on Ti substrate: Controllable synthesis and photoelectrochemical water splitting

Show Author's information Tingting Zhang1,2, Zia Ur Rahman1, Ning Wei3, Yupeng Liu1, Jun Liang1, Daoai Wang1,3( )
State Key Laboratory of Solid LubricationLanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesLanzhou730000China
University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
Qingdao Center for Resource Chemistry and New MaterialsQingdao266100China

Abstract

Despite one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor nanostructure arrays attracting increasing attention due to their many advantages, highly ordered TiO2 nanorod arrays (TiO2 NR) are rarely grown in situ on Ti substrates. Herein, a feasible method to fabricate TiO2 NRs on Ti substrates by using a through-mask anodization process is reported. Self-ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) overlaid on Ti substrate was used as a nanotemplate to induce the growth of TiO2 NRs. The NR length and diameter could be controlled by adjusting anodization parameters such as electrochemical anodization voltage, anodization time and temperature, and electrolyte composition. Furthermore, according to the proposed NR formation mechanism, the anodized Ti ions migrate and deposit in the AAO nanochannels to form Ti(OH)4 or amorphous TiO2 NRs under electric field, owing to the confinement effect of the template. Photoelectrochemical tests indicated that, after hydrogenation, the TiO2 NRs presented higher photocurrent density under simulated sunlight and visible light illuminations, suggesting their potential use in photoelectrochemical water splitting, photocatalysis, solar cells, and sensors.

Keywords: photoelectrochemical, hydrogenation, TiO2 nanorod arrays, in situ preparation, through-hole anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) mask

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 02 September 2016
Revised: 16 October 2016
Accepted: 04 November 2016
Published: 18 January 2017
Issue date: March 2017

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

Thanks for the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21303227, 21573259, and 51403220), Qingdao science and technology plan application foundation research project (No. 14-2-4-60-JCH) and the "Hundred Talents Program" of Chinese Academy of Sciences (D. A. W.).

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