Surface Microstructure Characterization of Sol-gel Derived Porous TiO_2 Thin Films

Porous TiO2 thin films were prepared from alkoxide solutions with and without polyethylene glycol (PEG) by sol-get route on soda lime glass, and were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that TiO2 film prepared from precursor solution without PEG is composed of spherical particles of about 100 nm and several nanometer mesoporous pores. With the increase of the amount of PEG added to the precursor solution, the diameter and the depth of the pores in the resultant films increas on the decomposition of PEG during heat-treatment, which lead to them increase of the surface roughness of the films. XRD and TEM results show that the single anatase phase is precipitated and there are some orientation effects in (101) direction.

N-doped graphene quantum dot-decorated N-TiO2/P-doped porous hollow g-C_(3)N_(4) nanotube composite photocatalysts for antibiotic photodegradation and H2 production

Exclusive responsiveness to ultraviolet light (~3.2 eV) and high photogenerated charge recombination rate are the two primary drawbacks of pure TiO_(2). We combined N-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs), morphology regulation, and heterojunction construction strategies to synthesize N-GQD/N-doped TiO_(2)/P-doped porous hollow g-C_(3)N_(4) nanotube (PCN) composite photocatalysts (denoted as G-TPCN). The optimal sample (G-TPCN doped with 0.1wt% N-GQD, denoted as 0.1% G-TPCN) exhibits significantly enhanced photoabsorption, which is attributed to the change in bandgap caused by elemental doping (P and N), the improved light-harvesting resulting from the tube structure, and the upconversion effect of N-GQDs. In addition, the internal charge separation and transfer capability of0.1% G-TPCN are dramatically boosted, and its carrier concentration is 3.7, 2.3, and 1.9 times that of N-TiO_(2), PCN, and N-TiO_(2)/PCN(TPCN-1), respectively. This phenomenon is attributed to the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction between N-TiO_(2) and PCNs, the excellent electron conduction ability of N-GQDs, and the short transfer distance caused by the porous nanotube structure. Compared with those of N-TiO_(2), PCNs, and TPCN-1, the H2 production activity of 0.1%G-TPCN under visible light is enhanced by 12.4, 2.3, and 1.4times, respectively, and its ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation rate is increased by 7.9, 5.7, and 2.9 times, respectively. The optimized performance benefits from excellent photoresponsiveness and improved carrier separation and migration efficiencies. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism of 0.1% G-TPCN and five possible degradation pathways of CIP are proposed. This study clarifies the mechanism of multiple modification strategies to synergistically improve the photocatalytic performance of 0.1% G-TPCN and provides a potential strategy for rationally designing novel photocatalysts for environmental remediation and solar energy conversion.

Rapid communication Preparation of TiO_2 nanometer thin films with high photocatalytic activity by reverse micellar method

Two kinds of TiO_2 nanometer thin films were prepared on stainless steel bythe reverse micellar and sol-gel methods, respectively. The calcined TiO_ 2 thin films werecharacterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), BET surface area and X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalyticdecoloration of methyl orange aqueous solution. The results showed that the TiO_2 thin filmsprepared by reverse micellar method (designated as RM-TiO_2 films) showed higher photocatalyticactivity than those by sol-gel method (designated as SG-TiO_2 films). This is attributed to the factthat the former is composed of smaller monodispersed spherical particles with a size of about 15 nmand possesses higher surface areas.

Influence of TiO_2 seeding layers on phase composition of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

The influence of amorphous TiO_2 seeding layers on the phase composition of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate(0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3,PMN-PT) films deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate by RF magnetron sputtering was examined.The relation between seeding layer thickness and phase composition at different post annealing temperature was observed by XRD.The thickness of amorphous TiO2 seeding layer and post annealing temperature had remarkable effects on PMN-PT film phase composition.When amorphous seeding layer becomes thick,a new phase of Nb2O5 exists in the films.Only when the seeding layer thickness is suitable,the film with pure perovskite phase can be attained.

Sensitizing Mechanism and Adsorption Properties of Dye-sensitized TiO_2 Thin Films

The dye-sensitized TiO2 complex films were prepared by the dye coat onto TiO2 surfaces, and the sensitizing mechanism and adsorption properties of the dye-sensitized TiO2 complex films were investigated. The influence of the application conditions of dye adsorbed on TiO2 films on the amount of dye adsorption was discussed. Experimental results show that the concentration, the temperature of dye solutions and the dipping time of TiO2 films in the dye solutions have a significant influence on the amount of dye adsorption. Cell test indicates that the conversion efficiency of light to electricity increases with the amount of dye adsorption.

Fabrication and photodegradation properties of TiO_2 nanotubes on porous Ti by anodization

Both Ti foil and porous Ti were anodized in 0.5%HF and in ethylene glycol electrolyte containing 0.5%NH4F(mass fraction) separately. The results show that TiO2 nanotubes can be formed on Ti foil by both processes, whereas TiO2 nanotubes can be formed on porous Ti only in the second process. The overhigh current density led to the failure of the formation nanotubes on porous Ti in 0.5%HF electrolyte. TiO2 nanotubes were characterized by SEM and XRD. TiO2 nanotubes on porous Ti were thinner than those on Ti foil. Anatase was formed when TiO2 nanotubes were annealed at 400 °C and fully turned into rutile at 700 °C. To obtain good photodegradation, the optimal heat treatment temperature of TiO2 nanotubes was 450 °C. The porosity of the substrates influenced photodegradation properties. TiO2 nanotubes on porous Ti with 60% porosity had the best photodegradation.

TiO_2 thin film photocatalyst

It is well known that the photocatalytic activity of TiO_2 thin filmsstrongly depends on the preparing methods and post-treatment conditions, since they have a decisiveinfluence on the chemical and physical properties of TiO_2 thin films. Therefore, it is necessary toelucidate the influence of the preparation process and post-treatment conditions on thephoto-catalytic activity and surface microstructures of the films. This review deals with thepreparation of TiO_2 thin film photo-catalysts by wet-chemical methods (such as sol-gel,-reversemicellar and liquid phase deposition) and the comparison of various preparation methods as well astheir advantage and disadvantage. Furthermore, it is discussed that the advancement ofphotocatalytic activity, super-hydrophilicity and bactericidal activity of TiO_2 thin filmphotocatalyst in recent years.

Preparation and Characterization of Nano-ZnFe_2O_4/TiO_2 Films

The nano-ZnFe2O4/TiO2 films possess the functions of desulfurization and degradation for organic pollutants. The sols of ZnFe2O4/TiO2 were prepared by sol-gel method and coated on glass and porous ceramic by vertical coating and dipping-lift processes, respectively, and the samples were obtained after drying and sintering. The composition, appearance, absorption spectrum of the films, and the influence of the film on porous ceramic performances were analyzed using SEM, AFM, UVVis spectrometer, and mercury porosimeter, respectively, to determine the operation parameters of the multifunction porous ceramic elements for gas-purification.

In-situ fabrication of dual porous titanium dioxide films as anode for carbon cathode based perovskite solar cell

We develop a dual porous （DP） TiO2 film for the electron transporting layer （ETL） in carbon cathode based perovskite solar cells （C-PSCs）. The DP TiO2 film was synthesized via a facile PS-templated method with the thickness being controlled by the spin-coating speed. It was found that there is an optimum DP TiO2 film thickness for achieving an effective ETL, a suitable perovskite]TiO2 interface, an efficient light harvester and thus a high performance C-PSC. In particular, such a DP TiO2 film can act as a scaffold for complete-filling of the pores with perovskite and for forming high-quality perovskite crystals that are seamlessly interfaced with Ti02 to enhance interracial charge injection. Leveraging the unique advantages of DP TiO2 ETL, together with a dense-packed and pinhole-free TiO2 compact layer, PCE of the C-PSCs has reached 9.81% with good stability.

TiO_2 Thin Film UV Detectors Deposited by DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

Crystalline TiO2 thin films were prepared by DC reactive magnetron sputtering on indium-tin oxide（ITO） thin film deposited on quartz substrate, the photoconductive UV detector on TiO2 thin films was based on a sandwich structure of C/ TiO2/ITO. The measurement of the I-V characteristics for these devices shows good ohmic contact. The photoresponse of TiO2 thin films was analyzed at different bias voltage. The detector shows a good photoresponse with a rise time of 2 s and a fall time of 40 s, the photocurrent is linearly increased with the bias voltage.

Uniform deposition of ultra-thin TiO_(2) film on mica substrate by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition: Effect of precursor concentration

The performance of pearlescent pigment significantly affected by the grain size and the roughness of deposited film. The effect of TiCl_(4) concentration on the initial deposition of TiO_(2) on mica by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition(APCVD) was investigated. The precursor concentration significantly affected the deposition and morphology of TiO_(2) grains assembling the film. The deposition time for fully covering the surface of mica decreased from 120 to 10 s as the TiCl_(4) concentration increased from 0.38%to 2.44%. The grain size increased with the TiCl_(4) concentration. The AFM and TEM analysis demonstrated that the aggregation of TiO_(2) clusters at the initial stage finally result to the agglomeration of fine TiO_(2) grains at high TiCl_(4) concentrations. Following the results, it was suggested that the nucleation density and size was easy to be adjusted when the TiCl_(4) concentration is below 0.90%.

Comparison on Morphological and Optical Properties of TiO_(2) Thin Films Grown by Single-Pulse and Multi-Pulse Laser Ablation

TiO2 thin films were prepared on glass substrates using the PLD (Pulsed Laser Deposition) technique. In order to carry out the ablation process, a Nd:YAG laser was used emitting in 1064 nm wavelength at 10 Hz repetition rate, set up for operating in both single-pulse and multi-pulse regimes. A comparison of the deposition rate, the optical and morphological properties of the layers obtained from both ablation regimes was made, which showed that the multi-pulsed ablation produced layers with a higher surface quality and better optical properties.

Preparation and Photocatalytic Property of Porous TiO_2 Film with Net-like Framework

By the UV-curing method, a porous TiO2 film with net-like framework has been prepared. The characterization results of the porous TiO2 film by means of SEM, TEM, XRD, and N2 adsorption-desorption analysis show that the net-like framework of the porous TiO2 film is composed of TiO2 nanoparticles, forming three dimensional porous structure. The porous TiO2 film exhibits higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue（MB） dye compared with the conventional dense TiO2 film.

Fabrication and Fluorescence Study of Sensitizing Dye/TiO_2 Films

Fluorescence spectra of the sensitizing dye/ TiO2 bilayer films were studied. Charge-transfer complexes were formed in the above bilayer.

Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity Studies on the Chemical Treatment of the Nanocrystalline Porous TiO2 Films

Effect of Ti(iso-C3H7O)4 treatment on the photoinduced charge carrier kinetics of nanocrystalline porous TiO2 films is studied by time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements. Analysis of the transient photoconductivity decays indicates that Ti(iso-C3H7O)4 treatment leads to an increased concentration of photogenerated charge carriers and a fast interfacial transfer rate of holes via the surface modification of the freshly growing TiO2 nanocrystallites.

Synthesis and Characterization of TiO₂Porous Films for Heterogeneous Photocatalysis

Heterogeneous photocatalysis is one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOP’s). These are very used nowadays for their implementation in tertiary water treatment with solar activation, with very good results. In this study, TiO2 porous films were synthesized by sol-gel method. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 was used as a templating reagent, which is oxidized at a lower temperature than TiO2. This allows the formation of a “skeleton” of porous TiO2 with increased surface area, resulting in higher photocatalytic activity. The film characterization was made with help of FE-SEM microscope, XRD diffractometer and scotch tape test. Finally, the oxidation experiments were performed using methylene blue as a model pollutant and they revealed an increase in the photocatalytic activity of porous films in comparison with the non-porous films.

The effects of radio frequency atmospheric pressure plasma and thermal treatment on the hydrogenation of TiO_(2) thin film

The effects of radio frequency(RF)atmospheric pressure(AP)He/H_(2)plasma and thermal treatment on the hydrogenation of TiO_(2)thin films were investigated and compared in this work.The color of the original TiO_(2)film changes from white to black after being hydrogenated in He/H_(2)plasma at160 W(gas temperature~381℃)within 5 min,while the color of the thermally treated TiO_(2)film did not change significantly even in pure H_(2)or He/H_(2)atmosphere with higher temperature(470℃)and longer time(30 min).This indicated that a more effective hydrogenation reaction happened through RF AP He/H_(2)plasma treatment than through pure H_(2)or He/H_(2)thermal treatment.The color change of TiO_(2)film was measured based on the Commission Internationale d’Eclairage L*a*b*color space system.Hydrogenated TiO_(2)film displayed improved visible light absorption with increased plasma power.The morphology of the cauliflower-like nanoparticles of the TiO_(2)film surface remained unchanged after plasma processing.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the contents of Ti3+species and Ti-OH bonds in the plasma-hydrogenated black TiO_(2)increased compared with those in the thermally treated TiO_(2).X-ray diffraction(XRD)patterns and Raman spectra indicated that plasma would destroy the crystal structure of the TiO_(2)surface layer,while thermal annealing would increase the overall crystallinity.The different trends of XRD and Raman spectra results suggested that plasma modification on the TiO_(2)surface layer is more drastic than on its inner layer,which was also consistent with transmission electron microscopy results.Optical emission spectra results suggest that numerous active species were generated during RF AP He/H_(2)plasma processing,while there were no peaks detected from thermal processing.A possible mechanism for the TiO_(2)hydrogenation process by plasma has been proposed.Numerous active species were generated in the bulk plasma region,accelerated in the sheath region,and bumped toward the TiO_(2)film,which will react with the TiO_(2)surface to form OVs and disordered layers.This leads to the tailoring of the band gap of black TiO_(2)and causes its light absorption to extend into the visible region.

纳米TiO_(2)对NH_(3)-H_(2)O-LiBr工质降膜吸收性能的影响

为了探讨纳米TiO_(2)对三元NH_(3)-H_(2)O-LiBr工质降膜吸收的影响,本文利用数值分析建立了三元工作流体薄膜吸收的连续方程、能量方程和组分质量平衡方程,采用Matlab软件进行编程和计算纳米流体的降膜吸收性能,将其与实验数据进行对比验证,并进一步分析了纳米TiO_(2)质量分数、初始氨浓度、初始温度、冷却水进口温度、吸收压力和下降薄膜管长度对薄膜吸收性能的影响。研究表明:添加纳米TiO_(2)可以增强降膜吸收的传质速率,主要原因为液膜中氨的扩散系数增加。当纳米TiO_(2)质量分数从0%增加到0.1%、0.3%和0.5%时,扩散系数分别增加了3.44倍、6.42倍和11.76倍。此外,增加初始氨浓度、降低初始温度、提高冷却水进口温度或降低吸收压力都可以提高最终溶液的饱和度。

(Ag,Cu)/TiO_(2)汽车玻璃隔热膜的制备与表征

利用磁控溅射技术制备由金属(Ag,Cu)膜、介质层TiO_(2)膜组成的双层汽车玻璃隔热膜样品。利用单因素分析法考察了溅射时间、溅射功率和Ar溅射流量三个因素对(Ag,Cu)/TiO_(2)汽车玻璃隔热膜透光隔热性能的影响。实验结果表明,在在本底真空度3×10^(-3) Pa,溅射气压2.1 Pa条件下,靶基距均为70 mm时,金属(Ag,Cu)膜溅射时间18 s,溅射功率80 W,Ar溅射流量20 sccm;介质层TiO_(2)膜溅射时间50 min,溅射功率115 W,溅射流量25 sccm时,(Ag,Cu)/TiO_(2)汽车玻璃隔热膜的透光隔热性能最佳。

TiCl_4水解法制备TiO_2薄膜的表征及光催化性能

以TiCl4水解法,采用浸渍提拉法在玻璃片上制备TiO2纳米薄膜。用XRD及SEM、EDS测定和表征TiO2薄膜的表面形貌和结构特性,以UV吸收光谱和可见光透光率表征薄膜的光学特性。结果表明,所得薄膜负载质量与镀膜次数有很好的线性关系,镀膜4次的TiO2薄膜具有表面均匀、厚度约为0 192μm,粒子粒径约为5.0nm,对紫外光强烈吸收并有红移拓宽。TiO2薄膜作为催化剂对500mL的20mg/L乙酸的降解率达到75.9%,比等负载量的粉末TiO2光催化的48.0%降解率高27.9%。