Fabrication of TiO2 nanofibers from a mesoporous silica film

TiO2 nanofibers have been made by impregnating a mesoporous silica film with TiCl4 followed by hydrolysis in air. The TiO2 nanofiber morphology can be varied by controlling the pore size and pore volume of the mesoporous silica film. TiO2 nanofiber diameters were in the range of 30-200 nm. The as-synthesized nanofibers are amorphous but crystallize to anatase at 250 degrees C without a change in morphology.