Nanotubes made from layered H_2Ti_3O_7 trititanate

Well crystallized nanoscale tubular materials with diameter around 9 nm have been synthesized via the reaction of TiO 2 crystals and NaOH aqueous solution. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) study shows that a large part of the tubular materials are scroll nanotube with open end. The composition of single nanotubes is studied using energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and the atomic ratio of O/Ti is found to vary from tube to tube. Chemical analysis and infrared (IR) spectroscopy study suggest the existence of bonded hydrogen in the material. Electron diffraction, X ray diffraction, HRTEM and image simulation are used to study the structure of the nanotube. The nanotube is found to derive from H 2Ti 3O 7 trititanate which has monoclinic structure given by Feist and Davies, i.e. and the tube is formed by wrapping a (100) sheet of H 2Ti 3O 7 along [001] and with the tube axis parallel to [010].