Solvent-Driven Self-Assembly of One-Dimensional Lepidocrocite Titanium-Oxide-Based Nanofilaments

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 24; no. 25; pp. 7584 - 7592
• Main Authors: Schwenk, Gregory R., Walter, Adam D., Barsoum, Michel W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 26.06.2024
• Subjects: Self-Assembly; Lepidocrocite; Titanate; Morphology; Gelation; Low-Dimensional
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00921

Herein, the self-assembly of one-dimensional titanium oxide lepidocrocite nanofilaments in 10 different water miscible organic solvents was investigated. The nanofilament snippets, with minimal cross sections of ∼5 × 7 Å2 and lengths around 30 nm, begin as an aqueous colloidal suspension. Upon addition, and brief mixing, of the colloidal suspension into a given solvent, a multitude of morphologiesseemingly based on the hydrophilicity and polarity of the solventemerge. These morphologies vary between sheets, highly networked webs, and discrete fibers, all with no apparent change in the lepidocrocite structure. On the micro- and nanoscale, the morphologies are reminiscent of biological, rather than inorganic, materials. The results of this work give insight into the self-assembly of these materials and offer new pathways for novel macrostructures/morphologies assembled from these highly adsorbent and catalytically active low-dimensional materials.