Influences of working pressure on properties for TiO_2 films deposited by DC pulse magnetron sputtering

TiO2 films were deposited at room temperature by DC pulse magnetron sputtering system.The crystalline structures,morphological features and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films were systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,atomic force microscopy（AFM） and ultraviolet spectrophotometer,respectively.The results indicated that working pressure was the key deposition parameter in？uencing the TiO2 film phase composition at room temperature,which directly affected its photocatalytic activity.With increasing working pressure,the target self-bias decreases monotonously.Therefore,low temperature TiO2 phase（anatase） could be deposited with high working pressure.The anatase TiO2 films deposited with 1.4 Pa working pressure displayed the highest photocatalytic activity by the decomposition of Methyl Orange solution,which the degradation rate reached the maximum（35%） after irradiation by ultraviolet light for 1 h.

Properties of TiO_2 Thin Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering

With rapid progressive application of TiO2 thin films, magnetron sputtering becomes a very interesting method to prepare such multi-functional thin films. This paper focuses on influences of various deposition processes and deposition rate on the structures and properties of TiO2 thin films. Anatase, rutile or amorphous TiO2 films with various crystalline structures and different photocatalytic, optical and electrical properties can be produced by varying sputtering gases, substrate temperature, annealing process, deposition rate and the characteristics of magnetron sputtering. This may in turn affect the functions of TiO2 films in many applications. Furthermore, TiO2-based composites films can overcome many limitations and improve the properties of TiO2 films.

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.

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 Properties of Ag-TiO_2 Thin Films on Glass Substrates

Ag TiO 2 thin films were prepared on glasses.The morphology and structure of Ag TiO 2 films were investigated by XRD, SEM and FT IR.The photocatalytic and hydrophilic properties of Ag TiO 2 thin films were also evaluated by examining photocatalytic degradation dichlorophos under sunlight illumination and the change of contact angle respectively.The research results show that the Ag TiO 2 thin film is mainly composed of 20-100nm Ag and TiO 2 particles.The Ag TiO 2 thin films possess a super hydrophilic ability and higher photocatalytic activity than that of pure TiO 2 thin film.

Preparation of Nanometer-structured TiO_2 Thin Films by Sol-Gel Method

The transparent anatase TiO 2 nanometer thin films were prepared by the sol-gel method on soda-lime glass.X-ray diffraction,thermal analysis and UV-visible spectrophotometer were used to analyze the formation of the phases.Only increasing the heat-treatment time,the average grain size has no obvious change.The mechanism of grain growth in TiO 2 thin film is probably as follows:the grain of coating will become grain core later;TiO 2 sol constantly deposited on the surface of TiO 2 grain and formed membrane with increasing of coating cycle times;TiO 2 grain in the film grow steadily.

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.

PREPARATION OF TiO_2 THIN FILMS BY MOCVD METHOD

Preparation of TiO2 thin films by MOCVD method is presented in this paper. A MOCVD system has been designed and built. A wide range of processing conditions are investigated to deposit TiO2 films on Si wafers starting from metal-organic precursor tetrabutyl titanate. Activation energy of the film formation （E） is obtained to be 23.6 kJ/mol. Structure of films is pure anatase when deposit temperatures are low, rutile forms at 700℃. The films also exhibit preferred crystallographic orientations which strongly depend on deposit conditions. Refractive index increases with increasing of film thickness and decreasing of deposit temperature.

Nanostructure Study of TiO2 Films Prepared by Dip Coating Process

The microstructure properties of the sol-gel derived TiO2 films were studied by the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The films were prepared by dip coating process. The optical properties of the films were explained on the basis of the microstructure of the films.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Degradation of Pollutant and Antibacterial Activity of Waterborne Polyurethane/Doped TiO_2 Nanoparticle Hybrid Films

The waterborne polyurethane/doped Ti O2 nanoparticle hybrid films were prepared. Nd, I doped Ti O2 was prepared with a 50 nm particle size firstly. The hybrid film was prepared by mixing doped Ti O2 with waterborne polyurethane, followed by heat treatment. The presence and nanometric distribution of doped Ti O2 nanoparticles in prepared membranes is evident according to SEM images. The photocatalytic activities of doped Ti O2 were signifi cantly enhanced compared with pure Ti O2 powders. After the hybrid fi lm fabrication, the photocatalytic activities were almost the same as the pure catalysts with kMB of 0.046. In the antibacterial testing, the hybrid fi lms can inhibit E. coli growth. A signifi cant decrease in membrane fl uidity and increase of permeability of E. coli were observed.

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.

Tuning Effect of N_2 on Atmospheric-Pressure Cold Plasma CVD of TiO_2 Photocatalytic Films

To deposit TiO2 films through plasma CVD, the partial pressure ratio of O2 to TIC14 should be greater than the stoichiometric ratio （PO2/PTiCl4 〉 1）. However, this may lead to the formation of powder instead of film on the substrate when using volume dielectric barrier discharge （volume-DBD） at atmospheric pressure. In this study, by adding N2 into the working gas Ar, TiO2 photocatalytic films were successfully fabricated in the presence of excess O2 （PO2/PTiC14 = 2.6） by using a wire-to-plate atmospheric-pressure volume-DBD. The tuning effect of N2 on the deposition of TiO2 film was studied in detail. The results showed that by increasing the N2 content, the deposition rate and particle size of the TiO2 film were reduced, and its photocatalytic activity was enhanced. The tuning mechanism of N2 is further discussed.

Fabrication of nanoporous TiO_2 films with novel surface morphology on conducting glass(FTO) substrate

The crystalline structure and surface morphology of TiO2 semiconductor coating play an important role in the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. In order to obtain TiO2 coating with controllable morphology and high porosity, nanoporous TiO2 films were fabricated on conducting glass （FTO） substrates, Ti thin films （1.5-2 gin） were deposited on conducting glass （FTO） substrates via the DC sputtering method, and then electrochemically anodized in NH4F/ethylene glycol solution. The crystalline structure and surface morphology of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and field emission scanning electron microscopy （FESEM）, respectively. The influences of anodizing potential, electrolyte composition, and pH value on the surface morphology of nanoporous TiO2 films were extensively studied. The growth mechanism of nanoporous TiO2 films was discussed by current density variations with anodizing time. The results demonstrate that nanoporous TiO2 films with high porosity and three-dimensional （3D） networks are observed at 30 V, when the NH4F concentration in ethylene glycol solution is 0.3% （mass fraction） and the electrolyte pH value is 5.0.

Photoelectric properties of thin Eu^(3+)-doped TiO_2 films sensitized by cis-RuL_2(SCN)_2·2H_2O

Thin nanocrystalline TiO2 films doped by europium ions (Eu3+) were obtained by the sol-gel method. The photoelectric properties of Eu3+-doped TiO2 film electrode sensitized by cis-RuL2(SCN)2·2H2O (L=cis-2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxlic acid) ruthenium complex were studied. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Effect of doping Eu3+ on microscopic structure and photoelectrical properties were discussed. The result shows that doping europium ions makes specific surface area of these films larger, which contributes to improving the photoelectric properties. It is found that an optimal composition doped with 0.2 mol.% Eu3+ exhibits the highest photoelectric properties. Isc is 0.37 mA·cm-2, which is 0.17 mA·cm-2 bigger than that of un-doped films; Voc is 405 mV, which is 50 mV bigger than that of un-doped films.