Morphology of TiO2 Layers with a Well-Developed Acicular–Fibrous Structure in VT-20 Titanium

Abstract

We have studied the effect of size factors of substrates on the formation of TiO₂ layers with a well-developed acicular–fibrous structure on VT-20 titanium. The proposed technique allows a TiO₂ layer with a large surface area to be produced by etching in a KOH solution (without using hydrothermal synthesis conditions), followed by heat treatment. The layers thus produced consist of fibers 20–100 nm in diameter and up to 1 μm in length, which are strongly bonded to the substrate surface. Their phase composition is dominated by rutile. The fiber growth process is shown to be influenced by substrate etching and heat treatment conditions, weakly influenced by the curvature of the substrate, and independent of its dimensions.