采用微乳液法,利用独特的胺解工艺成功制备出尺寸均匀、直径几乎一致的、具备自组装特性的锐钛矿型TiO2纳米棒,其直径、长度分别为1.5nm和26—36nm。在以油酸作为溶剂的TiO2纳米棒的分散系中,通过偏光显微镜观测到较强的双折射马耳他十字消光现象(Maltese Cross),说明这些TiO2纳米棒形成了向列相型的排列,是一种新型无机溶致液晶材料,TEM测试表明,这些TiO2纳米棒形成了六种具有典型液晶相的超晶格自组装结构:丝状、近晶相、柱状、蜂窝状、多米诺骨牌状和板层相(向列相)。
Well uniform anatase TiO2 nanorods with diameter about 1.5nm and length of 26-36nm were successfully prepared by microemulsion method at unique aminolysis route. As-prepared TiO: nanorods were dispersed in oleic acid during the synthesis process,and the Maltese Cross from OA-functionalized TiO2 nanorods was observed by a polarized optical microscope. This result demonstrates the OA-functionalized TiO2 nanorods form nematic array, which is a novel inorganic lytropic liquid crystals. The TEM images illustrate six kinds of liquid crystal ordered phases formed by OA- functionalized TiO2 nanorods, such as ribbon, smectic, columnar, honeycomb, domino and lamellar.