Surface morphology of nanocrystalline titanium oxide by AFM

Nanocrystalline materials were prepared by in situ compacting nanometer-sized clusters synthesized by the inert gas condensation method. These materials have a grain size of 5-15 nm and contain about 10¹⁹ interfaces per cubic centimeter. In this study, surface morphology of non-conducting nanocrystalline oxides was examined for the first time by atomic force microscopy (AFM), which resolves nanometer-sized grains and nanoscaled alignments. During heat treatments, grainsfused together forming bamboo-like structures and then lined up as tubular structures. Densification at 1300°C removed the valleys between tubular structures to produce smooth surfaces.