Electrospun anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with different morphological structures and specific surface areas

Abstract

Electrospun anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with desired morphological structure and relatively high specific surface area are expected to outperform other nanostructures (e.g., powder and film) of TiO2 for various applications (particularly dye-sensitized solar cell and photo-catalysis). In this study, systematic investigations were carried out to prepare and characterize electrospun anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with different morphological structures (e.g., solid, hollow/tubular, and porous) and specific surface areas. The TiO2 nanofibers were generally prepared via electrospinning of precursor nanofibers followed by pyrolysis at 500°C. For making hollow/tubular TiO2 nanofibers, the technique of co-axial electrospinning was utilized; while for making porous TiO2 nanofibers, the etching treatment in NaOH aqueous solution was adopted. The results indicated that the hollow/tubular TiO2 nanofibers (with diameters of ∼300–500nm and wall-thickness in the range from tens of nanometers to ∼200nm) had the BET specific surface area of ∼27.3m2/g, which was approximately twice as that of the solid TiO2 nanofibers (∼15.2m2/g) with diameters of ∼200–300nm and lengths of at least tens of microns. Porous TiO2 nanofibers made from the precursor of Al2O3/TiO2 composite nanofibers had the BET specific surface area of ∼106.5m2/g, whereas porous TiO2 nanofibers made from the precursor of ZnO/TiO2 composite nanofibers had the highest BET specific surface area of ∼148.6m2/g.