Abstract
TiO2 nanowires (TiO2 NWs) were successfully synthesized in large amounts through the one step hydrothermal process in 10 M NaOH aqueous solution at 150 degrees C for 15 h followed by annealing at 300-800 degrees C for 2 h. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scan electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution TEM (HRTEM). The optical properties of TiO2 nanowires were characterized using UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometers. It was found that the TiO2 nanowires persist in the anatase phase even after annealing at 500 degrees C and that the morphology of the nanowires was maintained. At 800 degrees C, the nanowires transformed into a rod-like shapes with a rutile structure. The optical band gap of TiO2 nanowires was found to decrease when the annealing temperature increases.