Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon Nanotubes Wrapped on Anatase Microparticles

In this work we present a study of growth and characterization of a composite based on TiO2 (anatase form) and carbon nanotubes (CNT). The composite was prepared by the chemical mix techniques suggested in [1], improved by changing the recipe for what concerns solvent type, sonication and heating time to obtain a greater carbon nanotubes solubility. The prepared samples were characterized by SEM analysis, energy dispersed X-ray measurements (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The analysis showed that the sample is formed by a direct contact between CNT and anatase, with CNTs wrapped around anatase micrometer particles. XPS analysis shows the typical lines of TiO2 and CNTs (Ti2p and C1s), without any indication for the Ti-C chemical bond, instead the detection of the O1s line can be attributed to both bonds, Ti-O and C-O. Finally the composite was compared with a similar sample obtained by evaporating Ti on a CNT substrate, as discussed in [2]. The two different techniques produce very different composites, the first one (chemical mix) exhibits a strong contact between CNTs and anatase particles which appear uniformly distributed in the sample, while the other technique (evaporation) shows two separated and superimposed films (titanium dioxide on CNT).