Nanostructure of TiO2 nano-coated SiO2 particles

We characterized SiO2-TiO2 nano-hybrid particles, prepared using the sol-gel method, using high-resolution transmission microscopy. A few nanometer-ordered TiO2 anatase crystallites could be observed on the monodispersed SiO2 nanoparticle surface. The quantum size effect of the TiO2 anatase crystallites is attributed to the blue shift of the absorption band. The rough surface of the SiO2-TiO2 nano-hybrid particles was derived from the developed growth planes of the TiO2 anatase crystallites, grown from fully hydrolyzed Ti alkoxide that did not react with acetic acid during the crystallization process at 600 degrees C thermal annealing.