Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation by combination of light illumination and bias voltages toward anti‐virus coating applications

Abstract

AbstractIn this work, oxidative decomposition reaction of organic reactant on TiO2 surface was investigated under soaking conditions by combination of applying voltages and light illumination. Since carriers of TiO2 thin films originate from point defects such as oxygen vacancies, reactive carriers possibly exist on TiO2 thin films even under room light illuminating condition and dark condition. Thus, enhancement degrees of photooxidation by applying bias voltages onto TiO2 thin films were compared under dark, visible light illumination and UV illumination conditions. Bias voltages were applied to localize the photogenerated carriers at the vicinity of TiO2 surface for enhancing photooxidation. Sol‐gel derived TiO2 thin films with porous nano structure exhibited a stronger oxidative decomposition reaction than sputter‐deposited TiO2 thin films.