Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals
Hydrothermally grown TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods are a key material for several electronic applications. Due to its anisotropic crystal structure, the electronic properties of this semiconductor depend on the crystallographic direction. Consequently, it is important to control the crystal o...
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MDPI AG
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Crystals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/9/2/64 |
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| author | Julian Kalb James A. Dorman Stephan Siroky Lukas Schmidt-Mende |
| author_facet | Julian Kalb James A. Dorman Stephan Siroky Lukas Schmidt-Mende |
| author_sort | Julian Kalb |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hydrothermally grown TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods are a key material for several electronic applications. Due to its anisotropic crystal structure, the electronic properties of this semiconductor depend on the crystallographic direction. Consequently, it is important to control the crystal orientation to optimize charge carrier pathways. So far, the growth on common polycrystalline films such as fluorine tin oxide (FTO) results in randomly distributed growth directions. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability to control the growth direction of rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocrystals via the orientation of the seed crystals. The control of the orientation of such nanocrystals is an important tool to adjust the electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties of nanocrystalline films. We show that each employed macroscopic seed crystal provides the growth of parallel nanofingers along the [001] direction under specific angles. The parallel growth of these nanofingers leads to mesocrystalline films whose thickness and surface structure depends on the crystal orientation of the seed crystal. In particular, the structure of the films is closely linked with the known inner structure of hydrothermally grown rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods on FTO. Additionally, comprehensive 1D structures on macroscopic single-crystals are generated by branching processes. These branched nanocrystals form expanded 2D defect planes, which provide the opportunity of defect doping-induced two-dimensional electronic systems (2DES). |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:53:36Z |
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| issn | 2073-4352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T06:53:36Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Crystals |
| spelling | doaj.art-e3a79f1535514a61b1f9bb273e84edcb2022-12-22T02:57:20ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522019-01-01926410.3390/cryst9020064cryst9020064Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed CrystalsJulian Kalb0James A. Dorman1Stephan Siroky2Lukas Schmidt-Mende3Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyCain Department of Chemical Engineering, 3307 Patrick Taylor Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USADepartment of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyDepartment of Physics, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, GermanyHydrothermally grown TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods are a key material for several electronic applications. Due to its anisotropic crystal structure, the electronic properties of this semiconductor depend on the crystallographic direction. Consequently, it is important to control the crystal orientation to optimize charge carrier pathways. So far, the growth on common polycrystalline films such as fluorine tin oxide (FTO) results in randomly distributed growth directions. In this paper, we demonstrate the ability to control the growth direction of rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> nanocrystals via the orientation of the seed crystals. The control of the orientation of such nanocrystals is an important tool to adjust the electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties of nanocrystalline films. We show that each employed macroscopic seed crystal provides the growth of parallel nanofingers along the [001] direction under specific angles. The parallel growth of these nanofingers leads to mesocrystalline films whose thickness and surface structure depends on the crystal orientation of the seed crystal. In particular, the structure of the films is closely linked with the known inner structure of hydrothermally grown rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> nanorods on FTO. Additionally, comprehensive 1D structures on macroscopic single-crystals are generated by branching processes. These branched nanocrystals form expanded 2D defect planes, which provide the opportunity of defect doping-induced two-dimensional electronic systems (2DES).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/9/2/64hydrothermal methodscrystal growthtitanium dioxidenanomaterialsmesocrystalsrutilenanowiresnanorods |
| spellingShingle | Julian Kalb James A. Dorman Stephan Siroky Lukas Schmidt-Mende Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals Crystals hydrothermal methods crystal growth titanium dioxide nanomaterials mesocrystals rutile nanowires nanorods |
| title | Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals |
| title_full | Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals |
| title_fullStr | Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals |
| title_short | Controlling the Spatial Direction of Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocrystals by the Orientation of Seed Crystals |
| title_sort | controlling the spatial direction of hydrothermally grown rutile tio sub 2 sub nanocrystals by the orientation of seed crystals |
| topic | hydrothermal methods crystal growth titanium dioxide nanomaterials mesocrystals rutile nanowires nanorods |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/9/2/64 |
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