Synthesis of Titanium Dioxide Photoanodes by Anodization in a Sodium Chloride Electrolyte

Titanium dioxide photoanodes were synthesized using the anodization method at low potentials in a 0.3 M sodium chloride electrolyte at room temperature. The morphology of the materials was analyzed with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM); the crystalline phase of the synthesized materials was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy; meanwhile, the hydrophobic–hydrophilic properties were assessed through contact angles measurements, and all the synthesized samples possess hydrophilic properties. The samples anodized at 15 and 20 volts exhibited the formation of titanium dioxide in the anatase phase.