Evaluation of nano grain growth of TiO2 fibers fabricated via centrifugal jet spinning

Abstract

Nanomaterials form the main thrust for modern day technological and industrial applications, including but not limited to, super-capacitors, membranes, batteries, filters, sensors, tissue engineering, wound dressing, protecting vesture, reinforcement in composite materials, etc. Ceramic nanofibers are at the forefront of these materials due to their high surface area and tunable nano structures and porosity. However, obtaining nanofibers with a well-developed uniform crystallinity and a perfect morphology is a challenging task. Among various techniques utilized for preparation of nanofibers centrifugal jet spinning covets merits due to its high efficiency production rate, cost adequacy and operational safety. In the present manuscript we report preparation of TiO2 nanofibers by Sol–Gel Course with Centrifugal Jet Spinning using tetrabutyl titanate as main organic titanium precursor. Herein we demonstrate that a well-developed crystallinity and a perfect morphology of TiO2, from Nano to micro-scales, can be achieved after decomposition of polymer and removal of carbon. Effect of various factors such as PVP content, speed of rotation, humidity and heat treatment on the fiber growth was investigated. Effect of variation in soaking time and different temperatures on the TiO2 nanofiber grain growth was also investigated. Phase structure of TiO2 nanofibers was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Microstructure of the nanofibers was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) studies and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) studies. Kinetic exponents of grain growth were likewise acquired by with the help of an image processing software. Outcomes of our investigations show that crystallinity and morphology of grains of fibers are highly sensitive to temperature and soaking time. Image analysis demonstrates that sintering temperature greatly affects the crystallinity and grain size of the nanofibers over 700 °C.