Anatase TiO2 single crystals with dominant {0 0 1} facets: Facile fabrication from Ti powders and enhanced photocatalytical activity

Anatase TiO2 single with dominant {0 0 1} facets were fabricated from Ti powders through a facile hydrothermal method. The obtained TiO2 single crystals have a remarkable ~75% fraction of {0 0 1} facets. The crystallographic structure of the anatase products and the influence of the experimental factors, such as the reaction temperatures, the amount of precursor, and the reaction time, on the morphology and the exposed facets were investigated systematically by X ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra. Owing to the highly reactive dominant {0 0 1} facets and the high crystallinity, the obtained anatase TiO2 products exhibited significantly superior activities compared with commercial P25 titania nanoparticles in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye.