Electronic states and photoexcitation processes of titanium dioxide nanoparticle films dip coated from aqueous Degussa P25 photocatalyst suspension

Abstract

The electronic properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystalline films, which were prepared by dip coating from Degussa P25 photocatalyst aqueous suspension, have been investigated by surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS). As indicated by the positive contact potential difference (CPD) change in the sub-band-gap region, SPS shows that the molecularly adsorbed H2O in the freshly prepared P25 film creates an empty electron state, which is distributed within 0.79eV below the conduction band edge, and acts as an electron trap and carrier recombination center. With film aging or under a drying atmosphere, the H2O-associated state diminishes, and the occupied electron state due to molecularly adsorbed oxygen, lying within 1.06eV above the valence band edge, is identified by the reversed polarity of the CPD change in the sub-band-gap region. This information is important in developing a better understanding of real photocatalyst behavior.