Using liquid phase deposition method on cellulose substrate, TiO2 nanofibres were prepared with TiCl4 as a precursor. TiO2 nanofibres were obtained after heat treatment of the cellulose template. The remaining product was composed of micron-size TiO2 fibres with a nanofiber microstructure. It is shown that nanofibres are formed through the aggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis of the as-prepared solution indicates the formation of crystalline TiO2 anatase phase. EDX analysis was employed to measure the adsorbed mass of TiO2 on cellulose substrate. The effect of deposition time on the growth and morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrate fine microstructures composed of 10–15nmnanoparticles. Surface area of the TiO2 fibres, measured by Brunauer, Emmett and Teller analysis, was about 104m2 g1. Photodegradation of Rhodamine B as a standard dye shows that the prepared samples have a high photocatalytic activity due to large surface area.
