Well-developed, highly crystalline Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 whiskers were successfully grown by cooling a NaCl flux at a relatively low temperature of 700°C. The obtained Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 whiskers were colorless and transparent. The whiskers grown at 700°C were single phase and exhibit the lowest sizes of up to about 3.5 µm ϫ 0.1 µm. From the results of SEM, XRD, and TEM, it was confirmed that the Na 2 Ti 6 O 13 whiskers have
Highly crystalline and oriented Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers were successfully and directly grown on a metallic titanium mesh using a NaCl flux cooling method for application to semiconducting photocatalysis. Specifically, unique threedimensional photocatalytic materials were fabricated by converting a titanium mesh into a Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 tubular mesh consisting of highly oriented whiskers. The formation mechanism of the oriented Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. From these results, the following conclusions could be confirmed. First, a titanium oxide layer was formed on the Ti wire surface by thermal oxidation. Since this oxide layer acts as a protective layer to thermal energy, the wire shape was maintained during Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whisker growth. Next, highly oriented Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers were directly grown on the titanium oxide layer. During whisker growth, Ti was radially supplied from the bulk of the Ti mesh to the inner surface of the TiO 2 layer. Finally, the Ti wire structure transitioned into a tubular structure consisting of Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers. During the fabrication process, the Ti wire was dissolved by the NaCl flux, and the dissolved Ti ions reacted with O and Na ions to form TiO 2 and Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 layers. As a result, oriented and highly crystalline Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers were directly grown on the TiO 2 layer. The Ti wire was completely dissolved in this reaction system. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activities of the tubular mesh consisting of Na 2 Ti 3 O 7 whiskers were confirmed by the photocatalytic degradation of a fluoroalkylsilane self-assembled monolayer and trichloroethylene under ultraviolet light irradiation. The whisker mesh developed herein exhibited good photocatalytic properties under ultraviolet light irradiation.
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