Orientation Relationships and Interface Structuring in Au-Seeded TiO2 Nanowires

The Au–TiO2 interface plays a critical role in heterogeneous catalysis and nanostructure synthesis relevant to renewable energy applications. Using Au-seeded TiO2 nanowires as the model system, we observe that, in addition to the commonly reported orientation relationships (ORs) and atomically sharp interfaces, Au–TiO2 interfaces can also exhibit ORs involving high-indexed planes, often accompanied by local disorder and atomic reconstructions involving multiple Ti-O monolayers. These interfacial rearrangements are promoted by high-temperature thermal treatment at 1000 °C during nanowire growth. The findings broaden our understanding of orientation relationships and interface structures in the Au–TiO2 system, offering valuable insights into interface-driven synthesis of oxide nanostructures and guiding future strategies for interface engineering in catalytic and electronic applications.