Hydrothermal synthesis and characterisation of titanate nanomaterial thin films in mixed aqueous NaOH/KOH

Abstract

Titanate nanomaterial thin films were prepared using an alkaline hydrothermal method in various molar ratios of NaOH/KOH mixed aqueous solution at a total concentration of 10 M. The as-prepared nanomaterials were characterised by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the molar ratio of Na+/K+ on the morphologies and microstructures of titanate nanomaterials were studied. With the molar ratio of Na+/K+ decreases, the mean diameter of nanomaterials increases. The phase and structure transformation of nanomaterials were from sodium titanate nanotubes to potassium titanate nanowires and the formation mechanism was discussed.