Fabrication of titania nanotube membranes by atomic layer deposition using nanoporous alumina as a template

Abstract

Conformal TiO2 films have been deposited onto highly oriented porous alumina arrays to characterise membranes with controlled pore modification. A suite of tools have been used to probe the evolution of these coated porous structures. Depth profiling by secondary ion mass spectroscopy revealed the distribution of elements Ti and O deposited throughout the coated porous alumina. High resolution imaging using scanning electron microscopy confirmed the reduction in pore-size as a function of deposition cycles. Following the removal of the porous alumina template, free-standing titania nanotubes were prepared which show the pore geometry of the alumina template was preserved.