Rapid synthesis of titania nanowires by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatments

Titania nanowires in the anatase phase were successfully synthesized using microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods. To accelerate the fabrication procedure of nanowires, an assisted microwave power was applied to the traditional hydrothermal apparatus. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (ST01, 100% anatase) were utilized as the starting material, and various parameters (including heating temperature, reaction time, radiation power, and the concentration of raw materials) were discussed in the present study. All of the products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations revealed that these nanowires have a diameter of ca. 80-150 nm, with a length ranging from several micrometers to tens of micrometers. Relatively low energy consumption was observed in manufacturing the titania nanowires under the conditions of 350 W of power at 210 degrees C for only 2 h (and then calcined at 450 degrees C for 2 h). Through the use of a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process, the titania nanowires could be obtained with a shorter reaction time and lower thermal energy, in comparison to conventional hydrothermal methods. Therefore, this approach could considerably reduce the synthesis time, cost, and energy required, and it could be used in the large-scale fabrication of titania nanowires.