Phase transformation kinetics of anodic titania nanotube arrays in oxygen-rich atmosphere

•The relationships between morphology and the crystallite structure and phase kinetics of O2-annealed TNTs with tube length > 10 μm were investigated in detail.•Below 700 °C, anatase-to-rutile phase transition was very slow, but accelerated above 700 °C as nanotube structures showed signs of dramatic collapse.•The activation energy values of E1 = 150.71 ± 14.67 kJ/mol and E2 = 31.17 ± 1.53 kJ/mol for ATRPT at temperatures below and above 600 °C, correspond to the feeding effect and the size effect, respectively.