<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">TiO2 thin films with different surface structure have been prepared from alkoxide solutions by the sol-gel method using different cationic precursors and heat treatment techniques. The effect of using titanium isopropoxide as well as titanium butoxide as a titanium source on the surface structure and photocatalytic activity of the resultant thin films was studied. Significant differences in the rate of hydrolysis and condensation reactions during the sol-gel synthesis were observed for these titanium precursors. This had a direct influence on the morphology of the as-prepared TiO2 films. Higher quality oxide coatings were obtained from titanium isopropoxide. They were characterized by a smaller grain size, improved surface roughness and uniform coverage of the glass substrate. A beneficial effect of calcination process after each sol application cycle in contrast to single step calcination after all dip-coating cycles was observed. Photocatalytic degradation tests showed that methyl orange was decolorized in the presence of all prepared TiO2 films by exposing their aqueous solutions to UV light (λ = 254 nm). The highest photocatalytic activity had the TiO2 layer produced using titanium isopropoxide.</abstract>

TiO2 thin films with different surface structure have been prepared from alkoxide solutions by the sol-gel method using different cationic precursors and heat treatment techniques. The effect of using titanium isopropoxide as well as titanium butoxide as a titanium source on the surface structure and photocatalytic activity of the resultant thin films was studied. Significant differences in the rate of hydrolysis and condensation reactions during the sol-gel synthesis were observed for these titanium precursors. This had a direct influence on the morphology of the as-prepared TiO2 films. Higher quality oxide coatings were obtained from titanium isopropoxide. They were characterized by a smaller grain size, improved surface roughness and uniform coverage of the glass substrate. A beneficial effect of calcination process after each sol application cycle in contrast to single step calcination after all dip-coating cycles was observed. Photocatalytic degradation tests showed that methyl orange was decolorized in the presence of all prepared TiO2 films by exposing their aqueous solutions to UV light (λ = 254 nm). The highest photocatalytic activity had the TiO2 layer produced using titanium isopropoxide.

Effect of titanium source and sol-gel TiO2 thin film formation parameters on its morphology and photocatalytic activity

Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology

Materials Science-Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Effect of titanium source and sol-gel TiO thin film formation parameters on its morphology and photocatalytic activity

TiO2 thin films with different surface structure have been prepared from alkoxide solutions by the sol-gel method using different cationic precursors and heat...

Effect of titanium source and sol-gel TiO₂ thin film formation parameters on its morphology and photocatalytic activity

Published Online: Dec 12, 2020

Page range: 424 - 433

Received: Sep 25, 2018

Accepted: Apr 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/msp-2020-0056

Keywords
TiO thin film, sol-gel, photocatalysis

© 2020 Piotr Dulian et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Effect of titanium source and sol-gel TiO2 thin film formation parameters on its morphology and photocatalytic activity

Published Online: Dec 12, 2020

Page range: 424 - 433

Received: Sep 25, 2018

Accepted: Apr 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/msp-2020-0056

KeywordsTiO thin film, sol-gel, photocatalysis

© 2020 Piotr Dulian et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Effect of titanium source and sol-gel TiO₂ thin film formation parameters on its morphology and photocatalytic activity

Keywords
TiO thin film, sol-gel, photocatalysis