Abstract
In this study, a simplified sol–gel method was used for the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted fabrication of transparent and porous TiO2 thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass substrates by spin coating. The competing effects of the surface morphology, electron–hole recombination rate, and crystal phase of CTAB on the synthesis and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of the thin films were investigated. Increasing the CTAB content in the precursor solution not only resulted in the formation of the rutile phase and pores, but also increased the TiO2 crystalline grain size and roughness. Consequently, the film crystal phase could be controlled and the surface roughness increased by varying the CTAB concentration; this resulted in increases in the photocurrent response and hydrophilicity of the films. The as-obtained thin film with a [CTAB]/[TTIP] molar ratio of 1 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity as well as the highest textured surface area and porosity, because it had a rougher surface and contained more surface defects. Furthermore, the CTAB-assisted fabrication method exhibited rapid superhydrophilicity conversion after visible-light irradiation, owing to the synergistic effects of the rutile and anatase particles during the PEC reaction.
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