One-Dimensional Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials: Nanowires, Nanorods, and Nanobelts

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce an adaptive inflammatory response and invasion and proliferation of lung epithelial cells in chorioallantoic membrane

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) studies have been performed using relatively high NPs concentration under acute exposure and limited studies have compared shape effects. We hypothesized that midterm exposure to low TiO2 NPs concentration in lung epithelial cells induces carcinogenic characteristics modulated partially by NPs shape. To test our hypothesis we synthesized NPs shaped as belts (TiO2-B) using TiO2 spheres (TiO2-SP) purchased from Sigma Aldrich Co. Then, lung epithelial A549 cells were low-exposed (10 µg/cm(2)) to both shapes during 7 days and internalization, cytokine release and invasive potential were determined. Results showed greater TiO2-B effect on agglomerates size, cell size and granularity than TiO2-SP. Agglomerates size in cell culture medium was 310 nm and 454 nm for TiO2-SP and TiO2-B, respectively; TiO2-SP and TiO2-B induced 23% and 70% cell size decrease, respectively, whilst TiO2-SP and TiO2-B induced 7 and 14-fold of granularity increase. NOx production was down-regulated (31%) by TiO2-SP and up-regulated (70%) by TiO2-B. Both NPs induced a transient cytokine release (IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-4, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) after 4 days, but cytokines returned to basal levels in TiO2-SP exposed cells while TiO2-B induced a down-regulation after 7 days. Midterm exposure to both shapes of NPs induced capability to degrade cellular extracellular matrix components from chorioallantoic membrane and Ki-67 marker showed that TiO2-B had higher proliferative potential than TiO2-SP. We conclude that midterm exposure to low NPs concentration of NPs has an impact in the acquisition of new characteristics of exposed cells and NPs shape influences cellular outcome.

Titanate and titania nanostructured materials for environmental and energy applications: a review

The state-of-the-art development of fabrication strategies of multi-dimensional titanate and titania nanostructures is reviewed first. This is followed by an overview of their potential applications in environmental, energy, and biomedical sectors.

Interconnected mesoporous NiO sheets deposited onto TiO2nanosheet arrays as binder-free anode materials with enhanced performance for lithium ion batteries

TiO₂nanosheet arrays were synthesized by a hydrothermal method as a stable backbone for subsequent chemical bath deposition of interconnected NiO sheets.

Bilayer TiO2photoanode consisting of a nanowire–nanoparticle bottom layer and a spherical voids scattering layer for dye-sensitized solar cells

A bilayer TiO₂photoanode prepared by a one-time spray technique on a TiO₂NW array shows significantly enhanced photovoltaic performance in DSSCs.

Magnetic nano-Fe3O4@TiO2/Cu2O core–shell composite: an efficient novel catalyst for the regioselective synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles using a click reaction

An efficient and recoverable core–shell nanomagnetic composite was developed for regioselective synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles using a green procedure.

Shape-controlled synthesis of MnCO3 nanostructures and their applications in supercapacitors

A one step co-precipitation method has been developed for synthesizing shape-controlled monodispersed MnCO₃ nanostructures for supercapacitor application.

ZnO@Ag2S core–shell nanowire arrays for environmentally friendly solid-state quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with panchromatic light capture and enhanced electron collection

An environmentally friendly solid-state quantum dot-sensitized solar cell is constructed using ZnO@Ag₂S core–shell NWAs as a photoanode in combination with the conducting polymer P3HT.

Doping concentration dependence of microstructure and magnetic behaviours in Co-doped TiO2 nanorods

Co-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods with different doping concentrations were fabricated by a molten salt method. It is found that the morphology of TiO2 changes from nanorods to nanoparticles with increasing doping concentration. The mechanism for the structure and phase evolution is investigated in detail. Undoped TiO2 nanorods show strong ferromagnetism at room temperature, whereas incorporating of Co deteriorates the ferromagnetic ordering. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) results demonstrate that the ferromagnetism is associated with Ti vacancy.

Innovative three-dimensional (3D) eco-TiO₂ photocatalysts for practical environmental and bio-medical applications

It is known that water purified by conventional TiO₂ photocatalysts may not be safe enough for drinking, due to the toxicity by tiny existence of TiO₂ nanoparticles after water treatment. We herein demonstrate a facile design of a three-dimensional (3D) TiO₂ photocatalyst structure with which both the efficiency of purification and the safety level of the final purified water can be improved and ensured, respectively. The structure, consisting of 3D sulfur-doped TiO₂ microtubes in nanotubes (eco-TiO₂), is suitable for both environmental and bio-medical applications. Investigation of its formation mechanism reveals that anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), owing to a spatial constraint, causes a simple, nanoparticles-to-nanotubes structural rearrangement as a template for nanotube growth. It is found that eco-TiO₂ can be activated under visible-light irradiation by non-metal (sulfur; S) doping, after which it shows visible-light photocatalytic activities over a range of solar energy. Importantly, an in vitro cytotoxicity test of well-purified water by eco-TiO₂ confirms that eco-TiO₂ satisfies the key human safety conditions.

A mesoporous “shell-in-shell” structured nanocatalyst with large surface area, enhanced synergy, and improved catalytic performance for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction

A novel mesoporous “shell-in-shell” structured nanoreactor (@Pd/meso-TiO₂/Pd@meso-SiO₂) shows superior catalytic activity, stability, and selectivity for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction.

TiO2–mesoporous silica nanocomposites: cooperative effect in the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and drugs

Titania nanoparticles were confined inside the pore channels of preformed mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for the photodegradation of dyes and drugs.