Fabrication of titania nanofibers by electrospinning

Abstract

This paper describes a procedure based on electrospinning for generating nanofibers of anatase with controllable diameters and porous structures. When an ethanol solution containing both poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP, Mw ≈ 1 300 000) and titanium tetraisopropoxide was injected through a needle under a strong electrical field, composite nanofibers made of PVP and amorphous TiO2 were formed (with lengths up to several centimeters) as a result of electrostatic jetting. These nanofibers could be subsequently converted into anatase without changing their morphology via calcination in air at 500°C. The average diameter of these ceramic nanofibers could be controlled in the range from 20 to 200 nm b..