2. materials and methodology The purpose of the experiment was the preparation of
the nanocrystalline titanium dioxide powder by using a sol-
gel method and research confirmation of its morphology
and structure. For comparison purposes, a commercially
available titanium dioxide powder (i.e. titanium white) was
also used. nanopowder was synthesized by using titanium
tetra isopropoxide (TTiP) as a precursor. first has prepared
a solution consisting of tetra isopropoxide and isopropanol by
mixing using a magnetic stirrer. At the same time, the acidic
solution of distilled water was prepared, which is a catalyst for
the precipitation of the powder. By varying the amount of nitric
acid, the ph of the solution was changed. These solutions were
mixed with a magnetic stirrer at temp. 60÷70°C for 20 hours. To
evaporate the rest of water, the calcination process was carried
out, by heating the chemical compound below its melting
point. Then, the titanium dioxide thin films from as prepared
nanopowder and commercial powder were deposited on an ITO
glass substrate by using a doctor blade technique.
The high-resolution transmission electron microscope
s/TeM Titan 80-300 fei company was used to confirm that
the as-prepared powder is nanocrystalline. Observations were
carried out with energy 300 kv in the classical model (TeM)
and in the beam surface-scanning mode (sTeM). for this
purpose, prepared powder was deposited on the special copper
mesh preparations used in electron microscopy. The structure
of titanium oxide was investigated by X-ray crystallography.
A variety of crystalline TiO
2
was also confirmed by using the
Raman spectrometer. The TiO
2
thin films have been examined by
using an evolution 220 uv-vis spectrometer Thermo scientific
company. The study of surface morphology of commercial TiO
2
powder was performed by using a scanning electron microscope
Zeiss Supra 35. The accelerating voltage was 1 kV. To obtain
images of the surface topography, the detection of secondary
electrons (by the detector In Lens) was used.