Direct and template-free synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures of sodium trititanate and sodium hexatitanate

One-dimensional (1D), pure phases of sodium trititanate and sodium hexatitanate (Na2Ti3O7 and Na2Ti6O13) nanowires (Na-TNW) were synthesized via a direct hydrothermal approach. The effect of the variation in growth parameters (NaOH concentration and reaction duration) on the morphology and structure of the Na-TNW has been investigated using bulk (RAMAN and XRD) and surface (TEM, SEM and N-2 sorptiometry) techniques. By varying the NaOH concentration, the particle size decreases without variation in the obtained trititanate structure. Also by varying the growth duration, the nanowires were elongated with reduced aggregation accompanied by structural conversion from trititanate to hexatitanate. Therefore, this study provides a full concept for the direct preparation of Na-TNW with controlled characteristics.