Solid state precursor strategy for synthesizing hollow TiO2 boxes with a high percentage of reactive {001} facets exposed.

Three-dimensional, hollow, anatase TiO(2) boxes, each was enclosed by six single-crystalline TiO(2) plates exposed with highly reactive {001} facets, were facilely obtained by calcining a cubic TiOF(2) solid precursor at 500-600 °C. The formation of such particular nanostructures is attributed to the hard self-template restriction and the adsorption of F(-) ions from the TiOF(2). This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011