Atomic-Scale Structure of Nanosized Titania and Titanate: Particles, Wires, and Tubes

The atomic-scale structure of nanosized “TiO 2 -type” materials of different morphologies, including particles, wires. and tubes, has been determined by total X-ray diffraction and atomic pair distribution function analysis. Atoms in dense-filled materials such as nanoparticles and nanowires are found to form a three-dimensional network of TiO 6 octahedra, similar to that occurring in bulk TiO 2 . Atoms in hollow materials such as nanotubes are arranged in corrugated layers of TiO 6 octahedra. The study calls attention to the often overlooked fact that a materialʼs morphology and atomic ordering may be strongly correlated at the nanoscale.