The effects of nanostructures on the mechanical and tribological properties of TiO ₂ nanotubes

TiO 2 nanotubes were prepared by anodization on Ti substrates with a diameter variation of 30–100 nm, and the structure of the nanotubes were studied using x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the structure changes from the anatase phase to the rutile phase of TiO 2 at a diameter below 50 nm. The tribological behaviors of TiO 2 nanotubes were investigated with different diameters. The effectiveness of the rutile phase and the diameter size enhanced the frictional performance of TiO 2 nanotubes.