Non‐thermal Effect of Atmospheric‐Pressure RF Cold Plasma on Photocatalytic Activity of As‐deposited TiO2 Film

Abstract

AbstractTiO2 film is deposited by atmospheric‐pressure (AP), radio‐frequency (RF), dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at a low power using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and O2 as the precursors. The morphology, optical properties, and crystalline structure of the as‐deposited TiO2 film are investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) absorption spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The as‐deposited TiO2 film show high photocatalytic activity in complete oxidation of HCHO to CO2 and degradation of stearic acid. The gas temperature in the RF‐DBD plasma is estimated to be at about 500 K by the rotational temperature via optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The experimental results of amorphous TiO2 film treated by the RF‐DBD plasma further exclude the likelihood of thermal effects derived from the plasma on crystallization of TiO2 film. It is confirmed that the non‐thermal effect of the RF‐DBD plasma on the high photocatalytic activity of the as‐deposited TiO2 film does exist.