Fabrication of open-ended TiO2 nanotube arrays by anodizing a thermally evaporated Ti/Au bilayer film

Fabrication of TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) with through-hole morphology is practical significance to enhance the photocatalytic activity of TNAs, as well as expanding their applications. In present work, open-ended TNAs are synthesized on a conductive Au layer by anodizing a thermally evaporated Ti/Au bilayer film. In the anodizing process, the upper Ti layer is transformed into well-aligned TNAs. The barrier layer under the growing TNAs ultimately touches the Au layer and is completely dissolved by the electrochemical etching. In order to avoid the bubble disruption of TNAs caused by the water electrolysis after the Au layer is exposed to the electrolyte, a specific non-aqueous electrolyte is used. The XRD results reveal that the as-formed open-ended TNAs are amorphous and can be transformed into anatase by annealing at 350 °C.