ABSTRACT
The morphologies of the electrospun TiO2 nanofibers were examined using an EVO 40XVP scanning electron microscope with an accelerating voltage of 15 kV. Prior to the microstructure observations, the samples were coated with platinum to avoid charging. The samples were characterized again at the same accelerating voltage after thermal annealing in air and argon atmospheres. Amorphous and crystalline areas for the polished cross-sectional TiO2 samples were studied, and phase identification for crystalline titania was determined using electron backscatter diffraction software. The in situ crystallization behavior of electrospun TiO2 nanofibers was evaluated using the high-temperature synchrotron radiation diffraction in air and argon. To obtain the activation energies of amorphous-to-crystalline TiO2 (anatase and rutile) transformation or anatase-to-rutile transformation at a heating rate of 10°C/min, the weight percentages of crystalline TiO2 or rutile were used.
