Growth of a Plate-Shaped SrTiO3–TiO2 Eutectic

Eutectic materials have potential as photoactive materials, due to their multiphase character (various available photoactive component phases and multiple band gap energies) and high crystallinity. However, larger material samples are needed to demonstrate it. In order to overcome this limitation, the growth of a plate-shaped SrTiO3–TiO2 eutectic, generated using the micro-pulling-down method, has been studied. Growth has been performed with different seeds and different pulling rates, which yielded 2 × 10 × 40 mm3 samples. Both phases in the eutectic present distinct crystallographic orientations. During the well-controlled growth process, column-like growth of the TiO2 phase is clearly observed on the side surface of the as-grown eutectic. In uncontrolled processes, growth of inverted SrTiO3 pyramids on the side surface was observed. The size of the obtained eutectic samples is sufficient for laboratory scale photoelectrochemical measurements. The growth of the plate-shaped eutectic is presented and dis...