Development of TiO2 Nanowires for Membrane Filtration Applications

TiO2 membranes are multifunctional in that they provide liquid separation of both contaminated and treated water and offer photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. The use of TiO2 nanowires for membranes exhibit greater photocatalytic efficiency compared to conventional bulk materials due to the higher surface area and size effects on the quantum scale. TiO2 nanowires can be synthesized from hydrothermal and sol-gel methods. This chapter focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of TiO2 nanowire membrane. The functional features of TiO2 membranes include filtration, self-cleaning, photocatalytic degradation, and disinfection.