Surface engineering of TiO nanotubes with tantalum for improved electrochemical performance.

In this work, TiO anatase nanotubes (NTs) were synthesized using a straightforward, two-step anodic oxidation method. To tackle with the optical and electrical properties of the material, a thin layer of tantalum was sputtered onto the nanotube surface. The microstructure of the modified material was analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), while changes in chemical bonding were examined by utilizing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).