Search results for "Microscopy"
showing 10 items of 3390 documents
One-Dimensional TiO2-B Crystals Synthesised by Hydrothermal Process and Their Antibacterial Behaviour on Escherichia coli
2016
We have successfully synthesised one-dimensional single crystals of monoclinic phase titanium dioxide nanostructures (TiO2-B), prepared by a hydrothermal process. Morphological characterization was carried out by atomic force and scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. In order to study the crystalline structure, samples were calcined at 500°C in an air-filled chamber. X-ray diffraction results indicated that as-prepared samples presented diffraction patterns of hydrate hydrogen titanate and those calcined at 500°C exhibited the TiO2-B and anatase phases, confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that the one-dimensional nanostructures ha…
Mesocrystalline Cr and Sb-codoped anatase visible-light-driven photocatalyst
2018
Abstract We report on the synthesis, characterization and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of mesocrystalline Cr- and Sb-codoped anatase nanoparticles. Discrete and morphologically well-defined assemblies of anatase nanoparticles sized below 100 nm × 50 nm were prepared by hydrothermal aging of aqueous solutions containing titanium alkoxide, chromium acetylacetonate, antimony acetate and triethanolamine (TEOA) as stabilizer. The as-prepared and TEOA-free doped nanoparticles showed similar crystallographic parameters and spectroscopic features. The incorporation of Cr and Sb dopant cations into the anatase nanoparticles was evaluated by Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction pa…
Anatase nanoparticles boundaries resulting from titanium tetrachloride hydrolysis
2017
An important factor that governs solar energy transformation into electrical or chemical energy, when using nanoparticles-based devices, is the spatial location of traps limiting electron transport. Evidences have been presented indicating that the electron diffusion is strongly influenced by nanoparticle boundaries, whose characteristics depend on the particles preparation. In the present work we have studied the role of hydrated excess proton structures in the formation of anatase nanoparticles boundaries in samples prepared by TiCl4 hydrolysis at low temperature and strong acidic conditions. The samples, constituted by anatase nanocrystals but, mainly, by amorphous titania, are studied b…
The effect of the surface disordered layer on the photoreactivity of titania nanoparticles
2017
It is well known that the surface of metal oxide catalysts presents, usually, non-crystalline species containing impurities and low coordinated cations, which are observed in HRTEM images as a disordered layer of amorphous phase. Despite of being these species more accessible and less stable than the crystalline catalysts components, they have been rarely considered when analysing the catalyst activity. In this work, we have studied the effect of a treatment with HCl solution at pH = 0 on the characteristics of the disordered layer in two commercial anatase TiO2 samples, using techniques such as TGA, 1H MAS-NMR and HRTEM, and by determining these sample photocatalytic activity for the 4-nit…
Mesocrystalline anatase nanoparticles synthesized using a simple hydrothermal approach with enhanced light harvesting for gas-phase reaction
2018
Mesocrystalline TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal approach. A simple two-step procedure at low temperature (<140 °C) allowed the nucleation of primary particles sized 2–4 nm and their subsequent assembly as almost spherical aggregates sized ≈20 nm. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies, and HRTEM studies confirmed anatase as the unique TiO2 crystalline phase. The mesocrystalline structure of the anatase aggregates was clearly evidenced by HRTEM and SAED results. The mesocrystalline nanopowders exhibit a mesoporous structure with a surface area and pore volume of 63.5 m2 g−1 and 0.22 cm3 g−1, respectively. Ultraviolet …
Polyacrylonitrile block copolymers for the preparation of a thin carbon coating around TiO2 nanorods for advanced lithium-ion batteries.
2013
Herein, a new method for the realization of a thin and homogenous carbonaceous particle coating, made by carbonizing RAFT polymerization derived block copolymers anchored on anatase TiO2 nanorods, is presented. These block copolymers consist of a short anchor block (based on dopamine) and a long, easily graphitizable block of polyacrylonitrile. The grafting of such block copolymers to TiO2 nanorods creates a polymer shell, which can be visualized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermal treatment at 700 °C converts the polyacrylonitrile block to partially graphitic structures (as determined by Raman spectroscopy), establishing a thin carbon coating (as determined by transmission electron m…
Hydrothermal-mediated synthesis of orange Cr, Sb-containing TiO 2 nano-pigments with improved microstructure
2017
Abstract A hydrothermal-mediated via was developed to prepare discrete, non-aggregated Cr,Sb-doped rutile nano-pigments. After annealing the Cr- and Sb-containing TiO2 anatase nanocrystals obtained by hydrothermal aging the nano-pigments Cr,Sb-TiO2 were characterized with the aid of X-ray diffraction (XRD) including lattice parameter and crystallite size determination, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopies (FESEM and TEM, respectively) including energy-dispersive X-ray (FESEM/EDX) spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) including selected area electron diffraction (SAED), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance (UV–…
Photoelectrochemical characterization of anatase-rutile mixed TiO2 nanosponges
2016
This work studies the influence of using hydrodynamic conditions during anodization on the morphology and electrochemical properties of anatase/rutile mixed TiO2 nanotubes (Reynolds number, Re = 0) and nanosponges (Re > 0). To this purpose different techniques were used, such as: microscopy techniques (Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, FE-SEM, and Confocal Laser-Raman Spectroscopy), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Mott Schottky (MS) analysis and photoelectrochemical water splitting tests. This investigation demonstrates that the morphology of TiO2 nanostructures may be greatly affected due to the hydrodynamic conditions and it can be adjusted in order to increase th…
Investigation of TiO<sub>2</sub> Ceramic Surface Conductivity Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy
2012
Dense TiO2 (rutile) ceramic samples were prepared by sintering compacts of titanium dioxide anatase powder at 1500 °C for 5h. Sintered samples were polished and annealed in vacuum at 1000 °C for 1h. Structural properties of the samples were studied by X-ray diffraction, polarized light and scanning electron microscopy. The surface topography and local electrical conductivity of the samples were investigated by atomic force microscopy technique under atmospheric conditions. Enhanced electrical conductivity was observed at grain boundaries while the polished, vacuum annealed grains surface showed non-homogeneous conductivity.
Effect of Reynolds number and lithium cation insertion on titanium anodization
2016
This work studies the influence of using hydrodynamic conditions (Reynolds number, Re = 0 to Re = 600) during Ti anodization and Li+ intercalation on anatase TiO2 nanotubes. The synthesized photocatalysts were characterized by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Raman Confocal Laser Microscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Mott-Schottky analysis (M-S), photoelectrochemical hydrogen production and resistance to photocorrosion tests. The obtained results showed that the conductivity of the NTs increases with Li+ intercalation and Re. The latter is due to the fact that the hydrodynamic conditions eliminate part of the initiation layer formed over the tu…