Nano-structured Oxides: A Materials Approach

Abstract

Recent work in the author’s laboratory has led to the development of surface modification techniques for the fabrication of nanostructures that are inexpensive, highly scalable and do not require use of lithography. One such process creates nanofiber arrays of single crystal TiO2 by hydrogen containing gas phase reaction. On the other hand, on Au‐catalyzed (001) surface of TiO2, oriented nano‐fibers can be grown with 〈001〉 and 〈110〉 alignments using H2/N2 heat treatment. H2/N2 heat treatment was also used to grow nanofibers on polycrystalline SnO2 in regions of the sample coated with gold, showing directional growth on grains with crystal facets. We developed yet another process to create nanofibers of TiO2 on Ti metal and Ti alloys via oxidation under a limited supply of oxygen. Finally, this article describes another unique nano‐structure created during thermal annealing of an oxide on top of another oxide substrate that self‐assembles along a preferred direction of the substrate.