Reactive template assisted growth of one-dimensional nanostructures of titanium dioxide

TiCl4 was employed to react with the reactive template Na@AAO, Na inside the channels of anodic aluminum oxide membranes, followed by O2 oxidation at 623 K and annealed at 723 and 873 K to form one-dimensional nanostructures of TiO2. Free standing polycrystals of anatase TiO2 (diameter = 200–400 nm, length = 60 μm) were obtained after the template was removed.