Water Annealing of TiO2 Nanotubes for Photocatalysis Revisited

• DOI: 10.1002/celc.202000622
• Publication Date: 2020-06-22T11:28:55Z
• Authors: Fan Fu; Gihoon Cha; Nikita Denisov; Yuyue Chen; Yan Zhang; Patrik Schmuki
• Keywords: Photocatalytic water splitting

Abstract Over the past years, so‐called water annealing of TiO 2 nanotube (NT) arrays has attracted considerable attention as a tool to enhance nanotubes’ photocatalytic properties. The present work investigates effect different water‐annealing treatments on nanotubes and compares it thermally annealed tubes. We find that most effective is immersion NT at 70 °C for several days. two main effects are i) partial crystallization tubes anatase, ii) an etching tube walls leads roughening and, thus, higher surface area. Under best conditions, almost in providing enhanced AO7 degradation classic thermal We, however, – due their only do not perform well when used photoelectrodes. For photocatalysis, efficient combination annealing, followed by which provides both larger area high crystallinity.