Fabrication and characterization of nano TiO 2 thin films at low temperature

Abstract

Anatase TiO 2 thin films were successfully prepared on glass slide substrates via a sol–gel method from refluxed sol (RS) containing anatase TiO 2 crystals at low temperature of 100 °C. The influences of various refluxing time on crystallinity, morphology and size of the RS sol and dried TiO 2 films particles were discussed. These samples were characterized by infrared absorption spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–vis). The photocatalytic activities of the TiO 2 thin films were assessed by the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution. The results indicated that titania films thus obtained were transparent and their maximal light transmittance exceeded 80% under visible light region. The TiO 2 thin films prepared from RS-6 sol showed the highest photocatalytic activity, when the calcination temperature is higher than 300 °C. The degradation of methyl orange of RS-6 thin films reached 99% after irradiated for 120 min, the results suggested that the TiO 2 thin films prepared from RS sol exhibited high photoactivities.