Title: Aerosol-assisted processing of hierarchically organised TiO₂ nanoparticles

Authors: Lidija Mancic; Ivan M. Dugandzic; Olivera B. Milosevic; Dragana Jovanovic; Zoran Saponjic; Maria E. Rabanal; Luz S. Gómez Villalba

Addresses: Institute of Technical Sciences of the SASA, Knez Mihailova 35/IV, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia ' Institute of Technical Sciences of the SASA, Knez Mihailova 35/IV, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia ' Institute of Technical Sciences of the SASA, Knez Mihailova 35/IV, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia ' Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia ' Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia ' IAAB, Materials Science Department, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avda de la Universidad 30, 28911-Leganés, Madrid, Spain ' Instituto de Geociencias IGEO (CSIC-UCM), Calle Jose Antonio Novais 2, 28040-Madrid, Spain

Abstract: Hierarchically assembled TiO₂ nanoparticles into larger spherical ones were obtained using aerosol-assisted processing method. Unagglomerated particles with the mean size of 440 nm were obtained from colloidal solution of TiO₂ nanoparticles (~4.5 nm) using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 550°C. Their morphological complexity and structural polymorphism were investigated by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. Pronounced evolution of nanocrystalline TiO₂(B) phase assembled together with the anatase building units (sized ~15 nm) in uniform submicrometric particles implicate their feasibility to be used in dye-sensitised solar cells and lithium ion batteries.

Keywords: TiO2 nanoparticles; titanium dioxide; aerosol processing; nanotechnology; hierarchically organised spherical particles; light scattering centres; lithium ion batteries; dye-sensitised solar cells; DSSC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2015.068530

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2015 Vol.50 No.3/4, pp.221 - 229

Received: 21 Aug 2013
Accepted: 17 Jan 2014
Published online: 05 Apr 2015 *

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