One-dimensional TiO2 nanostructures with improved UV-blocking properties

Abstract

To investigate an interaction between one-dimensional nanostructures and UV light, we prepared one-dimensional TiO2 nanowires (TiO2-NWs) and nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) as a high-efficiency UV protector. The TiO2-NWs with rutile phase showed similar to 8.6 nm of diameter and similar to 127.6 nm of length. The TiO2-NTs with anatase phase exhibited similar to 6.5 nm diameter and similar to 100 nm length. The specific surface areas of the TiO2-NWs and TiO2-NTs are similar to 34.0 and similar to 464.8 m(2) g(-1), respectively. In particular, the TiO2-NTs exhibited fairly uniform pore size of similar to 5.3 nm. The optical characteristics such as UV-scattering and absorbing were compared by UV-vis spectrometry in the range of UVB and UVA. The TiO2-NWs and TiO2-NTs exhibited much improved absorbance in UVB and UVA region as compared to commercial TiO2. Furthermore, the TiO2-NTs exhibited much increased reflectance in UVA region. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.