Spatial doping of titanium based nanotubes

This research work has invented a novel general synthesis method for producing spatial doping of 1D titanium based nanotubes. For this, we divided our work in two phases. In the first phase of the work, we present general synthesis methods for producing Ti-based nanostuctures, more precisely nanotubes, and elucidate their formation mechanisms based on ex-situ microscopic analysis and in-situ spectroscopic analysis. Titanium based nanostructures are produced from different Ti-sources by using alkaline microwave hydrothermal irradiation techniques. There are number of factors that affect its nanostructure. Post-treatment washing is the main crucial step which effects Ti-nanotube structure and morphology, crystal size, textural properties and composition. In the second phase of this work, we present a new synthesis method to prepare metal and metal oxide doped on different spatial locations of the titania nanotubes (i.e. core, surface and interlayer spaces). The precursors are introduced by either in-situ or ex-situ techniques to the titania precursor materials. Dopants from the Group IB, IIB, IVB, V and VIII element including Ag, Au, Co, Cu, Pd, Pt and V and their oxides etc were successfully doped on the surface, in the core and within the interlayer spaces of the titania nanotubes. The location of the dopants was manipulated by controlling the affinity of the dopant precursor to the titania surface during the preparation. Precursor with low affinity will preferentially decorate the nanotube surface, whereas strong affinity will lead to metal being embedded between the interlayer spaces of the nanotube. Intermediate affinity allows core-filling to produce metal particles, slugs or nanowires within the core of the nanotubes. Microscopy and spectroscopy studies were carried out to investigate the structural, chemical and electronic properties of these new nanotube materials and explore their application for catalytic conversions, biomedical applications etc. To examine