Electrochemical detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene reduction in aqueous solution by using highly ordered 1D TiO₂ nanotube arrays

In this work, we investigated the electrochemical behavior of TiO₂ nanostructures in 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene contained aqueous solution. The TiO₂ nanostructures were synthesized by anodization followed by crystallization with heat treatment. The morphology and crystal structures could be controlled by electrolyte of anodization and annealing temperatures. Compare to rutile phase, the anatase TiO₂ nanotubes showed superior electrochemical reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Based on the results we also evaluated the feasibility of electrochemical 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene detection under variable environmental condition.