Effect of Chemical Polishing on the Formation of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanotube Arrays Using Ti Mesh as a Raw Material
As a unique form of TiO<sub>2</sub>, TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotube arrays (TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs) have been widely used. TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs are usually prepared by Ti foil, with little research reporting its preparation by Ti mesh. In this paper, TiO<sub&...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/23/1893 |
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| Summary: | As a unique form of TiO<sub>2</sub>, TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotube arrays (TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs) have been widely used. TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs are usually prepared by Ti foil, with little research reporting its preparation by Ti mesh. In this paper, TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs are prepared on a Ti mesh surface via an anodic oxidation method in the F-containing electrolyte. The optimal parameters for the synthesis of TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs are as follows: the solvent is ethylene glycol and water; the electrolyte is NH<sub>4</sub>F (0.175 mol/L); the voltage is 20 V; and the anodic oxidation time is 40 min without chemical polishing. However, there is a strange phenomenon where the nanotube arrays grow only at the intersection of Ti wires, which may be caused by chemical polishing, and the other areas, where TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs cannot be observed on the surface of Ti mesh, are covered by a dense TiO<sub>2</sub> film. New impurities (the hydrate of TiO<sub>2</sub> or other products) introduced by chemical polishing and attaching to the surface of the Ti mesh reduce the current of anodic oxidation and further inhibit the growth of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes. Hence, under laboratory conditions, for commercially well-preserved Ti mesh, there is no necessity for chemical polishing. The formation of TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs includes growth and crystallization processes. For the growth process, F<sup>−</sup> ions corrode the dense TiO<sub>2</sub> film on the surface of Ti mesh to form soluble complexes ([TiF<sub>6</sub>]<sup>2−</sup>), and the tiny pores remain on the surface of Ti mesh. Given the basic photoelectrochemical measurements, TiO<sub>2</sub>NTAs without chemical polishing have better properties. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-4991 |