Preparation of titanium dioxide fibers using sodium alginate

A new method for preparing titanium dioxide fibers using sodium alginate has been developed. Titanium dioxide fibers were obtained by heating alginic acid fibers containing titanium dioxide particles (precursors) in air, which were produced from titanium dioxide sol and sodium alginate as starting materials. X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) of the cross section of the precursors showed that titanium dioxide particles were homogeneously distributed from the surface to the center of the precursors. When the precursors were heated (holding time: Ih, temperature: 900 degrees C), phase transition from anatase to rutile was observed. In addition, the pores between particles became very small as heating temperature was increased above at 900 degrees C, which indicates that the particles become densely distributed.