Fabrication of TiO2 nanotube film by well-aligned ZnO nanorod array film and sol–gel process

Abstract High density TiO 2 nanotube film with hexagonal shape and narrow size distribution was fabricated by templating ZnO nanorod array film and sol–gel process. Well-aligned ZnO nanorod array films obtained by aqueous solution method were used as template to synthesize ZnO/TiO 2 core–shell structure through sol–gel process. Subsequently, TiO 2 nanotube array films survived by removing the ZnO nanorod cores using wet-chemical etching. Polycrystalline anatase TiO 2 nanotube films were ∼ 1.5 μm long and ∼ 100 nm in inter diameter with a wall thickness of ∼ 10 nm.