Synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes - TiO2 nanocomposites

The main objective of this paper is to coat carbon multiwall nanotubes surface with TiO2 as anatase in view of photocatalytic application for these nanocomposites. Carbon nanotubes were produced by catalytic decomposition of acetylene at 600degreesC. The coating was performed by a sol-gel method using classical alkoxides as Ti(OEt)(4) and Ti(OPri)(4) and by hydrothermal hydrolysis of TiOSO4, leading to different TiO2 morphologies. In using the sol-gel method, nanotubes are coated either with a continuous TiO2 thin film when the precursor is Ti(OEt)(4), or with TiO2 nanoparticles when the precursor is Ti(OPri)(4). By hydrothermal treatment, more compact and crystalline nanocomposites are obtained. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.