Superhydrophilic–Superhydrophobic Template: A Simple Approach to Micro- and Nanostructure Patterning of TiO[sub 2] Films

Vertically aligned nanotube (VATN) array micropatterns were fabricated based on a versatile superhydrophilic–superhydrophobic template. Scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and an electron probe microanalyzer were systematically used to confirm the successful fabrication of the dual-scale (micro-/nanoscale) patterns and characterize their structure and morphology. The fabrication of the VATN patterning employed a simple photocatalytic lithography technique and mild reaction conditions at low temperature in the absence of a photoresist and a harmful chemical catalyst. This large-area dual-scale pattern based on the superhydrophilic–superhydrophobic template is expected to be a promising candidate for many applications in a broad range of scientific and technological areas, such as sensor arrays and optoelectronic devices.