Preparation and characterization of high aspect ratio TiO2 nanotube powders using rapid anodisation method in chloride-based electrolytes

This new method describes, for the first time, the application of rapid anodization in chloride-based electrolytes to quickly synthesize high quality, high-aspect ratio and robust titanium dioxide nanotube powders. This titania nanotubes powder produced from potentiostatic anodization of titanium foil in an electrolyte containing perchlorate or chloride ions. This would result in a more efficient usage of the titanium foil and in the production of large quantities (of the order of grams) titanium oxide tubes in less than 1 h. Further optimization of this route may provide a fast alternative method for the production of titanium oxide nanotube powders, now routinely synthesized via a hydrothermal method derived from the one pioneered by Kasuage et al. Various characterization techniques (viz., TEM, FESEM, XRD< DRUV-Visible, XPS) are used to study the morphology, phase, band gap and chemical composition.