Investigating preparation parameters during titanium oxide nanoribbon synthesis

The evolution of titanium oxide nanoribbons following different hydrothermal treatment times and acid washing was investigated. Titanium oxide nanoribbons could be obtained by hydrothermally treating TiO₂ with concentrated NaOH and with or without HCl post treatment. Without acid washing nanoribbon formation, without the co-existence of nanoparticles in the final sample, took 40 hrs. The hydrothermal treatment time required to form nanoribbons was halved when the sample was washed with HCl demonstrating acid washing accelerated nanoribbon formation. However, acid washing samples which were hydrothermally treated for 40 hrs was detrimental to the final nanoribbon structure. In this instance acid washing led to fragmentation of the nanoribbon morphology.