Structural and optical properties of hydrothermally synthesized mesoporous Si/TiO2 nanowire composites

One dimensional (1D) Si/TiO2 nanowire composite has been successfully synthesized using novel hydrothermal method. The reaction between TiO2 nanopowder and silicon nanopowder in a concentrated NaOH aqueous solution were carried out at 150 degrees C for 6 h. The diameter of Si/TiO2 composite was larger compared to TiO2 nanowires and increased as the amount of Si increased. The XRD results showed insertion of Si into TiO2 matrix produced Si/TiO2 composite dominant of well crystallized rutile phase rather than anatase phase. The Raman spectroscopy and the XRD result revealed that the SiiTiO(2) composite nanowires have good crystalline structure. The Si/TiO2 nanowires showed the absorption edge shifted to a longer wavelength and exhibit lower band gap compared to pure TiO2 nanowires. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.