Electron microscopy studies of TiO2 micelles

The microstructural properties of nanosized TiO2 micelles, generated in sit u in a water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion composed of water, dioctyl sulfosuc cinate sodiun salt (AOT) and cyclohexane, by controlled hydrolysis of TiCl4 , were investigated. The samples were characterized by analytical electron microscopy combining electron diffraction. TiO2 film consisted of isotropic grains of anatase. The grain sizes were 5 nm, which is in agreement with t he average grain size [R], previously obtained by grazing-incidence wide-an gle X-ray diffraction (GIWAXD), of 5.0 +/- 1.3 nm. Grains were gathered in a number of clusters, differently oriented with respect to the electron bea m. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.