Controlled Synthesis of Anatase TiO 2 Single Crystals with Dominant {001} Facets from TiO 2 Powders

Anatase TiO 2 single crystals with dominant {001} facets were fabricated in a controlled manner from TiO 2 powders through a facile route for the first time. The obtained TiO 2 single crystals have a size of approximately 1.5 μm and a remarkable, roughly 65 % fraction of {001} facets. The influence of the reaction temperature, the amount of precursor, and the reaction time on the morphology and the exposed facets was studied systematically. The percentage of {001} facets increased with the temperature and the amount of precursor, as a result of the surface energy reduction effect of F − ions. Further increasing the temperature and the amount of precursor led to serious corrosion of the products because of the enhanced corrosive effect of HF. Owing to the high percentage of exposed {001} facets, the TiO 2 single crystals exhibit a much enhanced photocatalytic efficiency (almost fivefold) compared to that of P25 TiO 2 as a benchmark material, thus opening a new avenue to prepare highly active TiO 2 single crystals with dominant {001} facets from low‐cost TiO 2 powders.