Sains Malaysiana 43(6)(2014): 947–951

Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes in Chloride Based Electrolyte: An Alternative to Fluoride

Based Electrolyte

(Nanotiub Titanium Dioksida dalam Elektrolit Berasaskan Klorida: Suatu Alternatif

kepada Elektrolit Berasaskan Florida)

S.W. NG*, F.K. YAM, K.P. BEH & Z. HASSAN

Nano-Optoelectronics Research and Technology Laboratory, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia

Received: 29 March 2013/Accepted: 1 December 2013

ABSTRACT

Often, fluoride based electrolyte was applied to synthesize highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes. However, in the present work, bundled titanium dioxide nanotubes were fabricated in chloride based electrolyte through electrochemical method. Structural and morphological investigations were carried out on the nanotubes synthesized under different anodization parameters. The growth mechanism of such nanotubes was elucidated and illustrated. The estimated diameter of the as-anodized nanotube was less than 150 nm while the length varied from hundreds of nanometer to microns. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra have showed anatase and rutile phases of titanium dioxide within the thermally treated samples.

Keywords: Anodization; chloride based electrolyte; growth mechanism; titanium dioxide nanotubes

ABSTRAK

Kebiasaannya, elektrolit berasaskan flourida digunakan untuk menyediakan nanotiub titanium dioksida yang tersusun rapi. Namun begitu, dalam kertas ini, kelompok nanotiub titanium dioksida difabrikasi dalam elektrolit berdasarkan klorida melalui kaedah elektrokimia. Siasatan struktur dan morfologi dilakukan pada nanotiub yang disediakan dengan pelbagai parameter pengoksidaan. Mekanisme pertumbuhan nanotiub tersebut dijelas dan digambarkan. Diameter anggaran nanotiub yang disediakan adalah kurang daripada 150 nm manakala panjangnya berbeza daripada ratusan nanometer ke mikrometer. Corak pembelauan sinar X dan spektrum Raman menunjukkan fasa anatase dan rutil bagi titanium dioksida dalam sampel yang dirawat dengan terma.

Kata kunci: Elektrolit berasaskan klorida; mekanisme pertumbuhan; nanotiub titanium dioksida; pengoksidaan

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*Corresponding author; email: sw.ng@live.com