Solvothermal synthesis of TiO2: anatase nanocrystals and rutile nanofibres from TiCl4 in acetone

Abstract This work reports a new synthetic approach for single‐phase TiO 2 nanomaterials by solvothermal treatment of titanium tetrachloride in acetone at 80–110 °C. Small, uniform, and yet size‐tunable (5–10 nm) anatase titania nanocrystallites were obtained using a low concentration of TiCl 4 in acetone (i.e., at molar ratios of TiCl 4 /acetone ≤ 1:15) in the temperature range of 80–110 °C, while rutile nanofibers were synthesized using a high concentration of TiCl 4 (e.g., TiCl 4 /acetone = 1:10) at 110 °C. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.