Oxidic Nanotubes: Synthesis, Characterisation, Applications

Downscaling a broad range of materials to 1D nanoscopic structures is currently the focus of a rapidly growing scientific community. Developing synthetic pathways to this goal can transfer a wide variety of properties to the nanoscale. The interesting physical and chemical properties of strongly anisotropic materials, such as nanotubes and nanorods, quite often differ from those of the corresponding bulk material and those of isotropic nanoparticles. The usefulness of these improved electronic, optical and mechanical properties is greatly shown in various applications ranging from electronic device materials and sensors/actuators to catalysts and materials for energy processing and storage. In addition, the use of nanostructured materials leads to a drastic reduction in the necessary amount of functional materials - and therefore also of price and toxicity, turning environmentally harmful production processes into elegant "white technologies". Although carbon nanotubes are still the most widely investigated examples for such materials, the word-wide quest for similar systems is steadily increasing this structural family. Considering the vast importance of reducible oxides in fundamental and applied research, the up-and-coming class of oxidic nanotubes might offer even more properties and advantages leading directly to new technological applications. This project deals with the synthesis and characterisation of TiO2-nanotubes, produced under varying conditions via a soft-chemistry and alternatively a template route. Furthermore, the application of titania nanotubes as gas sensors will be discussed. Particularly, the formation of structural and electronic point defects and their effect on the electronic properties will be studied. The third project aim will deal with the large specific surface area and the defined morphology of titania nanotubes, thus favouring them as ideal materials for supporting noble metal catalysts. At last, composites of titania nanotubes with conducting polymers will be synthesized and their optoelectronic properties as well as the possible application as super capacitors will be discussed. All of this work will be carried out in the Macromolecular Materials Laboratory under the advision of Prof. Alan Windle in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge, UK, in one of the world-leading groups for polymer and nanomaterials science and in close cooperation with Prof. Kramer and Dr. Klötzer from the University of Innsbruck (Catalysis). It is also planned to work together with Prof. Sir Richard Friend from the Cavendish Lab in Cambridge to study the optoelectronic properties (dye-sensitized solar cells).