Mixed-phase TiO.sub.2 nanofibers prepared via a sol-gel technique followed by electrospinning and calcination are provided as photocatalysts. The calcination temperature is adjusted to control the rutile phase fraction in TiO.sub.2 nanofibers relative to the anatase phase. Post-calcined TiO.sub.2 nanofibers composed of 38 wt % rutile and 62 wt % anatase exhibited the highest initial rate constant of UV photocatalysis. This can be attributed to the combined influences of the fibers' specific surface areas and their phase compositions.

A piezoelectric composite material includes a cross-linker and a plurality of ceramic fibers disposed in the cross-linker. The ceramic fibers include ABO.sub.3 oxide. A-site represents Pb.sub.xLa.sub.y containing lead (Pb) and lanthanum (La). In Pb.sub.xLa.sub.y, x ranges from 0.920 to 0.950, and y ranges from 0.050 to 0.080.

A multi-layered ceramic electronic component has a ceramic body including a dielectric layer and an internal electrode, and an external electrode formed outside of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the internal electrode. The internal electrode includes a conductive metal and a fiber-shaped ceramic additive. For example, the fiber-shaped ceramic additive can include barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3) and, optionally, dysprosium (Dy) and/or barium (Ba). The fiber-shaped ceramic additive may have a diameter of 10 to 200 nm, and a ratio of length to diameter of 10 to 100.

Mixed-phase TiO.sub.2 nanofibers prepared via a sol-gel technique followed by electrospinning and calcination are provided as photocatalysts. The calcination temperature is adjusted to control the rutile phase fraction in TiO.sub.2 nanofibers relative to the anatase phase. Post-calcined TiO.sub.2 nanofibers composed of 38 wt % rutile and 62 wt % anatase exhibited the highest initial rate constant of UV photocatalysis. This can be attributed to the combined influences of the fibers' specific surface areas and their phase compositions.

A metal oxide macroscopic fiber and a preparation method thereof, the method including: adding, as a spinning dope, an anionic metal oxide aqueous colloidal solution into wet spinning equipment, extruding the spinning dope from the spinning equipment into a thread, injecting the extruded thread into a coagulating bath containing a flocculating agent to obtain as-spun fiber, and repeatedly washing the resulted as-spun fiber with deionized water and drying same, thereby obtaining a metal oxide fiber. Said method makes the process simple and controllable, being adaptable to production on a large scale. The prepared metal oxide fiber having special physical and chemical properties is widely applicable in terms of intelligent spinning, biomedicine, energy recycling and conversion, and the field of microelectronic devices and the like.

Provided is a method for producing metal titanate fibers which is capable of easily preparing a uniform spinning solution and capable of stably spinning for a long period. The method for producing metal titanate fibers includes (A) a process for preparing a spinning solution, (B) a process for manufacturing precursor fibers by electro-spinning the spinning solution, and (C) a process for calcinating the precursor fibers, wherein (A) the process for preparing the spinning solution comprises: (a1) a process for obtaining a first solution by mixing a metal salt and a first solvent; (a2) a process for obtaining a second solution by mixing a fiber-forming material, a second solvent and a titanium alkoxide; and (a3) a process for obtaining a spinning solution by mixing the first solution and the second solution.

Provided is a chemical sensor which includes an alignment frame that has an opening that passes through the inside of the alignment frame and includes first and second side portions that face each other with the opening therebetween and insulation portions disposed between the first and second side portions, a plurality of sensing fibers disposed in two-dimensions across the opening of the alignment frame so as to connect the first side portion and the second side portion, and a source pattern and a drain pattern connected to the first side portion and the second side portion of the alignment frame, respectively.

A method of making a titanium dioxide nanowire array includes contacting a substrate with a solvent comprising a titanium (III) precursor, an acid, and an oxidant while microwave heating the solvent, thereby forming a hydrogen titanate H2Ti2O5.H2O nanowire array. The hydrogen titanate nanowire array is annealed to form a titanium dioxide nanowire array. The substrate is seeded with titanium dioxide before starting the hydrothermal synthesis of the hydrogen titanate nanowire array. The titanium dioxide nanowire array is loaded with a platinum group metal to form an exhaust gas catalyst. The titanium dioxide nanowire array can be used to catalyze oxidation of combustion exhaust.

The present development is a reactor system for the production of nanostructures. The reactor system comprises a conical reactor body designed to maintain an upwardly directed vertical plasma flame and hydrocarbon flame. The reactor system further includes a metal powder feed that feeds into the plasma flame, a cyclone and a dust removal unit. The system is designed to produce up to 100 grams of metal oxide nanomaterials per minute.

Provided herein are nanofibers and processes of preparing nanofibers. In some instances, the nanofibers are metal and/or ceramic nanofibers. In some embodiments, the nanofibers are high quality, high performance nanofibers, highly coherent nanofibers, highly continuous nanofibers, or the like. In some embodiments, the nanofibers have increased coherence, increased length, few voids and/or defects, and/or other advantageous characteristics. In some instances, the nanofibers are produced by electrospinning a fluid stock having a high loading of nanofiber precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock comprises well mixed and/or uniformly distributed precursor in the fluid stock. In some instances, the fluid stock is converted into a nanofiber comprising few voids, few defects, long or tunable length, and the like.