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Solvothermal synthesis of a highly branched Ta-doped TiO2

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Abstract

We present a low-temperature, hydrothermal synthesis method for Ta-doped TiO2. Here, alkoxide-based precursors are mixed at low temperatures to suppress differential hydrolysis and phase separation. This method ensures homogeneous, molecular mixing of the Ta dopant with the native oxide up to a concentration of ~2.5 at.%. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectrometer analyses confirm a uniformly doped rutile TiO2. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal a highly branched structure. Optoelectronic properties of these structures were investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and low-temperature photoluminescence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    Shermin Arab

  2. Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    Shermin Arab

  3. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    Dongsheng Li & Nichola Kinsinger

  4. Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    Francisco Zaera

  5. Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    David Kisailus

  6. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA

    David Kisailus

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  1. Shermin Arab
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  2. Dongsheng Li
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  3. Francisco Zaera
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  4. David Kisailus
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  5. Nichola Kinsinger
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Correspondence to David Kisailus.

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Arab, S., Li, D., Zaera, F. et al. Solvothermal synthesis of a highly branched Ta-doped TiO2. Journal of Materials Research 26, 2653–2659 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2011.286

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