A highly ordered titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanotube array film on titanium substrate was fabricated by using an electrochemical anodic oxidation method, and some preparation parameters of the TiO₂ nanotube arrays were investigated as well. The SEM and XRD experiments were performed to characterize the morphology and crystalline phase of the TiO₂ nanotube arrays. It was found that the morphology of the TiO₂ nanotube arrays was greatly associated with the anodization voltage. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ nanotube array film was evaluated by the decolorization of methyl orange under the illumination of a high-pressure mercury lamp. The results showed that the TiO₂ nanotube arrays prepared at 20 V and annealed at 500 ℃ exhibited the best photocatalytic activity to the degradation of methyl orange. And the photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ nanotube array film was much higher than that of the regular TiO₂ nanoparticle film.

Key words: TiO₂ nanotube array, anodic oxidation, fabrication, photocatalytic activity