Fabrication of highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotube array and investigation of its photocatalytic activity

Abstract

A highly ordered titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube array film on titanium substrate was fabricated by using an electrochemical anodic oxidation method, and some preparation parameters of the TiO2 nanotube arrays were investigated as well. The SEM and XRD experiments were performed to characterize the morphology and crystalline phase of the TiO2 nanotube arrays. It was found that the morphology of the TiO2 nanotube arrays was greatly associated with the anodization voltage. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanotube array film was evaluated by the decolorization of methyl orange under the illumination of a high-pressure mercury lamp. The results showed that the TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared at 20 V and annealed at 500 degrees C exhibited the best photocatalytic activity to the degradation of methyl orange. And the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanotube array film was much higher than that of the regular TiO2 nanoparticle film.