Recent Advances in TiO2 Nanotube-Based Materials for Photocatalytic Applications Designed by Anodic Oxidation

Abstract

This book chapter reports some spectacular and interesting 1D nanostructures of TiO2, which are grown by the anodic oxidation. Under suitable conditions, conventional onestep anodic oxidation is available to grow TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) and TiO2 nanowires/nanotubes; meanwhile, two-step anodic oxidation allows fabricating some novel TNAs with spectacular morphologies such as highly ordered TNAs, bamboo-type TNAs, and lotus root-shaped TNAs. The formation mechanisms of these nanostructures during the anodic oxidation processes are elusive via studying effects of several key parameters such as oxidizing voltage, processing time, and electrolytes. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the TNA-based nanomaterials is characterized by the degradation of pharmaceutical model, methylene blue, or the photoelectrochemical effect.