Strong Visible Absorption and Photoluminescence of Titanic Acid Nanotubes by Hydrothermal Method

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis of titanate nanotubes via hydrothermal treatment of TiO2 nanoparticles, demonstrating their strong visible light absorption and stable photoluminescence at room temperature.

Contribution

It introduces a hydrothermal synthesis method for titanate nanotubes with enhanced visible absorption and photoluminescence properties.

Findings

Nanotubes exhibit strong visible absorption peaks at 515, 575, and 675 nm.

Photoluminescence observed at room temperature in air.

Conversion from nanoparticles to nanotubes achieved with NaOH treatment.

Abstract

Titanic acid nanotubes (with a chemical formula H2Ti2O4(OH)2, abbreviated as TANTs) were synthesized by the hydrothermal method using commercial TiO2 nanoparticle powder (P25, Degussa, Germany) including anatase and rutile phase as a starting material. Conversion from nanoparticles to nanotubes was achieved by treating the nanoparticle powder with 10 M NaOH aqueous solution. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) data indicate that the nanotubes obtained under slow and suitable drying and heating conditions had very strong and stable visible absorption with three peaks at 515, 575, and 675 nm and photoluminescence at room temperature in air.