Scheme 1.
Schematics of growth apparatus and the proposed growth mechanism. (a) The enhanced CVD furnace for the growth of S-doped TiO2 nanostructures (dashed box depicts the cool and vent mechanism appended to this system for rapid sample pull-out). (b) The sequential growth process flow; surface roughening using HF solution, followed by annealing at 650 °C and sulfur exposure at the same temperature. The initial layer would be TiS2 whereas the top layer would turn into an oxidized layer during the oxidation step, forming heterostructures. S-doped TiO2 nanosheets are synthesized through the oxidation and subsequent cooling step.
