Hetero-epitaxial growth control of single-crystalline anatase TiO2 nanosheets predominantly exposing the {001} facet on oriented crystalline substrates

Abstract

Nano-architectures of single-crystalline anatase TiO₂ nanosheets predominantly exposing the {001} facet are constructed in well-oriented configurations based on the strategies of controlled growth of TiO₂ in novel growth modes, i.e. (a) the epitaxial growth mode of TiO₂ nanosheets on the surface of oriented crystalline substrates, TiO₂ and SnO₂, resulting in an ordered growth direction, and (b) the hierarchical growth mode of TiO₂ nanosheets on oriented nano-crystals, TiO₂ nanowires, resulting in a well-ordered orientation and high surface areas as compared with conventional random growth of nanosheets. The present work explores a variety of methods for morphology control of TiO₂ nanosheets directly grown on nanostructures as mother components, on which the potential of anatase TiO₂ nanosheets to expose a high fraction of the reactive {001} facet is maximized.