Fabrication of TiO₂ Tubules by Template Synthesis and Hydrolysis with Water Vapor

TiO 2 nanostructures are prepared using a template method involving synthesis of TiO 2 within pores of a nanoporous membrane. In this study, template synthesis is accompanied by hydrolysis by water vapor in the preparation of TiO 2 nanotubules. These TiO 2 nanotubules are prepared within the pores of an alumina template membrane. Characterization of the TiO 2 tubules is accomplished by infrared spectroscopy (IR), UV−Vis spectrometry (UV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmittance electron microscopy (TEM). TiO 2 nanotubule diameters of ca. 50 and 200 nm were found. The 50-nm-diameter nanotubules were polycrystalline of anatase, and the 200-nm-diameter nanotubules had a thickness of 10 nm. This new method based on template synthesis and hydrolysis by water vapor can fabricate smaller TiO 2 nanotubules easier than sol−gel template synthesis.