Highly regular anatase nanotubule arrays fabricated in porous anodic templates

Abstract Compact, continuous and uniform anatase nanotubules with diameters in the range 50–70 nm were produced inside PAO nano-templates by pressure impregnating the PAO pores with titanium isopropoxide then oxidatively decomposing the reagent at 500 °C. Cleaning the surface of the template and repeating the process several times produced titania nanotubules with a wall thickness ∼3 nm per impregnation. The tube exteriors appeared to be faithful replicas of the pores in which they were formed. The crystallinity and form (anatase) of the titania were determined using XRD and Raman spectroscopy. Tubules in this low diameter range could not be produced using sol–gel.