Preparation and characterization of ZrO_2/TiO_2 composite photocatalytic film by micro-arc oxidation

ZrO2/TiO2 composite photocatalytic film was produced on the pure titanium substrate using in-situ Zr（OH）4 colloidal particle by the micro-arc oxidation technique and characterized by scanning electron microscope （SEM）, energy dispersive X-ray （EDX）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and ultraviolet-visible （UV-Vis） spectrophotometer. The composite film shows a lamellar and porous structure which consists of anatase, futile and ZrO2 phases. The optical absorption edge of film is shifted to longer wavelength when ZrO2 is introduced to TiO2. Furthermore, the photocatalytic reaction rate constants of degradation of rhodamine B solution with ZrO2/TiO2 composite film and pure TiO2 film under ultraviolet irradiation are measured as 0.0442 and 0.0186 h 1, respectively.

Photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO_2 into formic acid using WO_(3-x)/TiO_2 film as novel photoanode

A novel WO3-x/TiO2 film as photoanode was synthesized for photoelectrocatalytic（PEC） reduction of CO2 into formic acid（HCOOH）. The films prepared by doctor blade method were characterized with X-ray diffractometer（XRD）, scanning electron microscope（SEM） and transmission electron microscope（TEM）. The existence of oxygen vacancies in the WO3-x was confirmed with an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）, and the accurate oxygen index was determined by a modified potentiometric titrimetry method. After 3h of photoelectrocatalytic reduction, the formic acid yield of the WO3-x/TiO2 film is 872 nmol/cm^2, which is 1.83 times that of the WO3/TiO2 film. The results of PEC performance demonstrate that the introduction of WO3-x nanoparticles can improve the charge transfer performance so as to enhance the performance of PEC reduction of CO2 into formic acid.

Effect of Zn and Ti mole ratio on microstructure and photocatalytic properties of magnetron sputtered TiO_2-ZnO heterogeneous composite film

Series of TiO 2-ZnO heterojunction composite films with different n（Zn）/n（Ti） ratios were prepared by UDP450 magnetron sputter ion plating equipment, and the mole ratio of Zn to Ti was controlled by adjusting the current values of sputtering target. The effects of n（Zn）/n（Ti） on the microstructures of TiO2-ZnO films were investigated by SEM, AFM, Raman and XPS, and their photocatalytic decomposition of methyl orange solutions was evaluated. The results show that an increase in n（Zn）/n（Ti） typically results in a decrease in the grain size of composite films firstly and then an increase of grain size, while an increase in n（Zn）/n（Ti） leads to an increase in film roughness firstly and then a decrease in film roughness. Both grain size and roughness of TiO2-ZnO films reach the maximum and minimum at n（Zn）/n（Ti） of 1/9.3, respectively. The n（Zn）/n（Ti） shows little effect on the valences of Zn and Ti elements, which mainly exist in the form of TiO2 and ZnO phases. The n（Zn）/n（Ti） has influence on the amount of anatase/rutile TiO2 heterojunction in the film. With increase of the n（Zn）/n（Ti）, the absorption intensity of the composite film increases and the absorption region extends to 450 nm, which is redshifted as much as 150 nm in comparison with the pure TiO2 films. However, the photocatalytic abilities of heterogeneous composite films do not depend on the n（Zn）/n（Ti） but rather on the microstructures of the TiO2-ZnO composite films. Degradation rate of the film reaches the maximum and the photocatalytic decomposition of pollutants works best when n（Zn）/n（Ti）=1：9.3.

Synthesis of TiO_2 mesocrystal film with enhanced photocatalytic activity

TiO2 mesocrystals can considerably enhance charge separation owing to their oriented superstructures,with fewer internal defects and porous properties providing more active sites.In this work,we prepared TiO2 mesocrystal films by a direct annealing method.The morphology and crystal phase of the film were controlled by adjusting the ratio of NH4F and the calcination temperature.Moreover,we found that Au nanoparticles loaded on a TiO2 mesocrystal film enabled highly efficient visible light photocatalytic properties.The photocatalytic activities were studied by hydrogen generation and photoreduction of Cr(VI).This work represents a considerable advance in the development and application of the TiO2 mesocrystals.

Preparations of TiO_2 film coated on foam nickel substrate by sol-gel processes and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of acetaldehyde

Anatase TiO2 films were successfully prepared on foam nickel substrates by sol-gel technique using tetrabutyl titanate as precursor. The characteristics of the TiO2 films were investigated by XPS, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The photocatalytic activities of TiO2 films were investigated by photocatalytic degradation reactions of gaseous acetaldehyde, an indoor pollutant, under ultraviolet light irradiation. It was found that Ni^2＋ doping into TiO2 films due to the foam nickel substrates resulted in the extension of absorption edges of TiO2 films from UV region to visible light region. The pre-heating for foam nickel substrates resulted in the formation of NiO layer, which prevented effectively the injection of photogenerated electrons from TiO2 films to metal nickel. The TiO2 films displayed high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of acetaldehyde, and were enhanced by calcining the substrates and coating TiO2 films repeatedly. The high activity was mainly attributed to the improvement of the characteristics of substrate surface and the increase of active sites on photocatalyst.

Characterization and photoelectrochemical performance of Zn-doped TiO_2 films by sol-gel method

Zn-doped TiO2 (Zn?TiO2) thin films were prepared by the sol?gel method on titanium substrates with heat treatment at different temperatures. The effects of heat treatment temperatures and Zn doping on the structure, photocathodic protection and photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 thin films were investigated. It is indicated that the photoelectrical performance of the Zn?TiO2 films is enhanced with the addition of Zn element compared with the pure-TiO2 film and the largest decline by 897 mV in the electrode potential is achieved under 300 °C heat treatment. SEM?EDS analyses show that Zn element is unevenly distributed in Zn?TiO2 films; XRD patterns reveal that the grain size of Zn?TiO2 is smaller than that of pure-TiO2; FTIR results indicate that Zn - O bond forms on Zn?TiO2 surface. Ultraviolet visible absorption spectra prove that Zn?TiO2 shifts to visible light region.Mott?Shottky curves show that the flat-band potential of Zn?TiO2 is more negative and charge carrier density is bigger than that ofpure-TiO2, implying that under the synergy of the width of the space-charge layer, carrier density and flat-band potential, Zn?TiO2 with 300 °C heat treatment displays the best photocathodic protection performance.

One-step fabrication of TiO2/graphene hybrid mesoporous film with enhanced photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance

We synthesized a mesoporous film based on TiO2-reduced graphene oxide(RGO)hybrids using a one-step vapor-thermal method without the need for an additional annealing process.The vapor-thermally prepared TiO2-graphene hybrid(VTH)features unique structures with an ultra-large specific surface area of^260 m^2 g^-1 and low aggregation,giving rise to enhanced light harvesting and increased charge generation and separation efficiency.It was observed that a mesoporous film with uniform pore distribution is simultaneously obtained during the VTH growth process.When a 5.0 wt%RGO VTH film was used as the active layer in photocatalysis,the highest photocatalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange was achieved.For another,when a 0.75 wt%RGO VTH film was used as the photoanode in a dye-sensitized solar cell,the power conversion efficiency reached 7.58%,which represents an increase of 73.1%compared to a solar cell using an a photoanode of pure TiO2 synthesized by a traditional solvothermal method.It is expected that this facile method for the synthesis of TiO2/graphene hybrid mesoporous films will be useful in practical applications for preparing other metal oxide/graphene hybrids with ultra-high photocatalytic activity and photovoltaic performance.

Low-temperature Preparation of Photocatalytic TiO_2 Thin Films on Polymer Substrates by Direct Deposition from Anatase Sol

Anatase TiO2 sol was synthesized under mild conditions （75℃ and ambient pressure） by hydrolysis of titaniumn-butoxide in abundant acidic aqueous solution and subsequent reflux to enhance crystallization. At room temperature and in ambient atmosphere, crystalline TiO2 thin films were deposited on polymethylmethacrylate （PMMA）, SiO2-coated PMMA and SiO2-coated silicone rubber substrates from the as-prepared TiO2 sol by a dip-coating process. SiO2 layers prior to TiO2 thin films on polymer substrates could not only protect the substrates from the photocatalytic decomposition of the TiO2 thin films but also enhance the adhesion of the TiO2 thin films to the substrates. Field-emission type scanning electron microscope （FE-SEM） investigations revealed that the average particle sizes of the nanoparticles composing the TiO2 thin films were about 35-47 nm. The TiO2 thin films exhibited high photocatalytic activities in the degradation of reactive brilliant red dye X-3B in aqueous solution under aerated conditions. The preparation process of photocatalytic TiO2 thin films on the polymer substrates was quite simple and a low temperature route.

Preparation and photocatalytic activity of PANI/TiO_2 composite film

A PANI/TiO2 composite film deposited on the glass surface was successfully prepared using sol-gel dip-coating technique and chemical oxidation method. The film was characterized using XRD, AFM, and UV. The result showed that the TiO2 film consists of both cuboid-shaped and anatase-phased TiO2 nanoparticles. The average grain size of TiO2 in the film was approximately 20 nm. After coating with PANI, the particle was changed into irregular spherical-shaped and the size was increased up to approximately 35 nm in diameter. UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis indicated that the coating of TiO2 with PANI would result in an enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency and an extension of the photoresponse of TiO2. The band gap of the PANI/TiO2 film was 3.18 eV. The photocatalytic property of the film was evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine-B. It was found that 67.1% and 83.2% of rhodamine-B could be degraded under sunlight and UV irradiation within 120 min using the PANI/TiO2 composite t-tim as photocatalyst.

OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF TiO_2 THIN FILM ON SILICON SUBSTRATE DEPOSITED BY DC REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

TiO2 thin film has attracted considerable attention in recent years, due to its different refractive index and transparency with amorphous and different crysta ls in the visible and near-infrared wavelength region, high dielectric constant, wide band gap, high wear resistance and stability, etc, for which make it being used in many fields. This paper aims to investigate the optical characterizatio n of thin film TiO2 on silicon wafer. The TiO2 thin films were prepared by DC re active magnetron sputtering process from Ti target. The reflectivity of the film s was measured by UV-3101PC, and the index of refraction (n) and extinction coef ficient (k) were measured by n & k Analyzer 1200.

STUDY ON PHOTOCATALYTIC MECHANISM OF SOL-GEL-DERIVED Pb-DOPED TiO_2 THIN FILMS

Pb-doped TiO2 photocatalytic thin films were prepared on a soda-lime glass substrate via sol-gel method using TiO2 sol solution containing lead and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that besides oxides of Ti(IV) there is a certain amount of oxides of To(?) and Ti(?) and Pb exists in the forms of PbTiO3 and PbO. The photocatalytic activity of the Pb-doped TiO2 films was evaluated by the photocatalytic decolorization of aqueous methyl orange and photocatalytic mechanism mas also analyzed.

Characterization of Sol-gel-derived TiO_2 and TiO_2-SiO_2 Films for Biomedical Applications

In order to improve the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of NiTi surgical alloy, TiO2 and TiO2-SiO2 thin films were prepared by sol-gel method. The surface characteristics of the film, which include surface composition, microstructure and surface morphology, were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), respectively. A scratching test was used to assess the interface adhesive strength between the film and substrate. The corrosion resistance of NiTi alloy coated with oxide films were studied by anodic polarization curves measurement in biological solution. Additionally, a preliminary study of the in vitro bioactivity of the films was conducted. The results indicated that TiO2 and TiO2-SiO2 (Ti/Si=4:1) films have higher electrochemical corrosion resistance and can be used as protective layers on NiTi alloy. In addition, TiO2-SiO2 composite films have better bioactivity than TiO2 film.

Photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous solution using TiO_2/Ti thin film photocatalyst

In order to clarify the respective role of the UV light, catalyst, external bias as well as their combined effects on the photodegradation process and to clarify the photocatalytic mechanism under different experimental conditions, a series of experiments were conducted in a shallow pond photoreactor with an effective volume of 100 mL using TiO 2/Ti thin film prepared by anodization as photocatalyst. A 300W UV lamp( E max =365 nm)was used as side light source. The effect of light intensity on photocatalysis was also conducted. The results show that photocatalytic oxidation is an effective method for phenol removal from waters. The degradation rate can be improved by applying an anodic bias to the TiO 2/Ti film electrode, phenol can not be decomposed under only 365 nm UV light irradiation even in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In the range of our research, the phenol removal rate can be described in terms of pseudo first order kinetics.

Doped-TiO_2 Photocatalysts and Synthesis Methods to Prepare TiO_2 Films

TiO2 is a promising photocatalyst. However, the low photocatalytic efficiency calls for the modification of TiO2. Metal- and nonmetal-doping of TiO2 have been proved to be effective ways to enhance photocatalytic properties. This review provides a deep insight into the understanding of the metal- and nonmetal-doped TiO2 photocatalysts. This article begins with the introduction of the crystal structures of TiO2 and applications of TiO2 materials. We then reviewed the doped-TiO2 system in two categories： （1） metal-doped TiO2 photocatalysts system, and （2） nonmetal-doped TiO2 photocatalysts system. Both experimental results and theoretical analyses are elaborated in this section. In the following part, for the advantages of TiO2 thin films over particles, various preparation methods to obtain TiO2 thin films are briefly discussed. Finally, this review ends with a concise conclusion and outlook of new trends in the development of TiO2-based photocatalysts.

ANALYSIS OF DEPOSITED PRODUCTS AND REANODIZED POROUS LUBRICATING FILM ON A1 AFTER(NH_4)_2MoS_4 SOLUTION TREATMENT

Observation was carried out of the structure of sulphuric,oxalic or phosphoric film on Al after treatment of reanodizing and electrolytic depositing lubricant in (NH_4)_2MoS_4 solution,as well as of the deposited products by means of EMPA,TEM and energy spectro-scopic analysis.The deposited products are mixture of compounds of S and Mo rather than single MoS_2 and most of them dcposited near the surface layer of the film.Some regular long pores without barrier layer occurred in the film,but the regular fine channels without relation to the structural element parameters of original anodized film were found in the thickened barrier layer of phosphoric film.Sulphur may be remained as Mo sulphide in the film during heating under Ar protective environment.

Structural and optical properties of nano-spin coated sol-gel porous TiO_2 films

Three thicknesses of TiO2 films, 174, 195, and 229 nm, were deposited onto quartz substrates by sol–gel spin coating method. The as-deposited thin films were characterized by nano-crystallite with different sizes (19–46 nm) and relatively high porous structure. Optical constants were determined and showed the lowest refractive index of 1.66 for the as-prepared films that ever reported till now. Obtained results were discussed through current theoretical ideas.

Photocatalytic Property of TiO2 Films Deposited by Pulsed DC Magnetron Sputtering

TiO2 thin films were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering with the oxygen flow rate higher than the threshold. The film deposited for 5 h was of anatase phase with a preferred orientation along the <220> direction, but the films deposited for 2 and 3 h were amorphous. The transmittance and photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 films increased constantly with increasing film thickness. When the annealing temperature was lower than 700℃, only anatase grew in the TiO2 film. TiO2 phase changed from anatase to rutile when the annealing temperature was above 800℃. The photocatalytic activity decreased with increasing annealing temperature.

Effect of initial precursor concentration on TiO_2 thin film nanostructures prepared by PCVD system

TiO2 thin film was prepared on Si substrate by plasma chemical vapor deposition （PCVD） system and the morphologies of ZiO2 thin film were controlled by adjusting the initial precursor concentration. As the initial titanium tetra-isopropoxide （TTIP） concentration increases in PCVD reactor, the shapes of TiO2 particles generated in PCVD reactor change from the spherical small-sized particles around 20 nm and spherical large-sized particles around 60 nm to aggregate particles around 100 nm. The TiO2 particles with different shapes deposit on the substrate and become the main building blocks of resulting TiO2 thin film. We observed the TiO2 thin film with smooth morphology at low initial TTIP concentration, granular morphology at medium initial TTIP concentration, and columnar morphology at high initial TTIP concentration. It is proposed that we can prepare the TiO2 thin film with controlled morphologies in one-step process just by adjusting the initial precursor concentration in PCVD .

Substrate temperature dependence of chemical state and magnetoresistance characteristics of Co–TiO2 nanocomposite films

Co−TiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared via magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures.The films comprise Co particles dispersed in an amorphous TiO2 matrix and exhibit coexisting ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic properties.When the substrate temperature increases from room temperature to 400℃,Co particles gradually grow,and the degree of Co oxidation significantly decreases.Consequently,the saturation magnetization increases from 0.13 to 0.43 T at the same Co content by increasing the substrate temperature from room temperature to 400℃.At a high substrate temperature,conductive pathways form among some of the clustered Co particles.Thus,resistivity rapidly declines from 1600 to 76μΩ·m.The magnetoresistive characteristic of Co−TiO2 films is achieved even at resistivity of as low as 76μΩ·m.These results reveal that the obtained nanocomposite films have low Co oxidation,high magnetization and magnetoresistance at room temperature.

Preparation and Enhanced Daylight-Induced Photo-Catalytic Activity of Transparent C-Doped TiO_2 Thin Films

The transparent C-doped TiO2 nanostructure films were fabricated on the silicate glass substrates by sol-gel spin-coated method. The as-prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, UV-visible absorption spectra （UV-vis） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated via the photocatalytic oxidation of methylene blue in aqueous under daylight irradiation at room temperature. The results show that the daylight-induced photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared films are improved by the C-doping. The calcination temperatures significantly affect the morphology, microstructure and photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples. At 723 K, the C-doped TiO2 films exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity due to the synergetic effects of good crystallization, appropriate oxygen vacancies and strong absorption in the near UV and visible-light region.