Synthesis and characterization of 3D hierarchical rutile nanostructures: Effects of synthesis temperature and reagent concentrations on the texture and morphology

Abstract

Rutile nanostructures with a 3D hierarchical structure organization are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using TiCl₄ as a titanium precursor and HCl to regulate the acidity. The effects the synthesis conditions—molar ratios of the reagents ([Cl^–]/[Ti⁴⁺] and [H₂O]/[Ti⁴⁺]) and temperature—have on the mechanism of formation of the rutile phase are established. We show that the texture and morphology of the rutile nanostructrures depend on the particle packing at all levels of the hierarchical organization and are directly related to the synthesis conditions.