Fabrication of Mesoporous Titanium Oxide Nanotubes Based on Layer-by-Layer Assembly

Titanium oxide (TiO₂)/polyacrylic acid (PAA) composite nanotubes were firstly fabricated through the sol–gel process of titanium alkoxide in the inner pores of alumina template followed layer-by-layer assembly with polyacrylic acid (PAA). Mesoporous TiO₂ nanotubes could be obtained after the removal of PAA component by calcination and etching of the template with concentrated sodium hydroxide aqueous solution. The surface area of as-prepared porous TiO₂ nanotubes was measured as twice larger than that of the conventional TiO₂ nanotubes and the pore diameter in the wall of the tubes is several nanometers. Such assembled mesoporous nanotubes can serve as carriers for catalysis release and biomolecules.