Photocatalytic Coatings Based on TiOx for Application on Flexible Glass for Photovoltaic Panels

Abstract

In this work, the photocatalytic properties of thin films based on titanium oxides for application on flexible glass in photovoltaic panels were presented. Thin films were prepared by gas impulse magnetron sputtering (GIMS), where the gas injection on a target was synchronized in time with the electric pulse supplying the magnetron with the Ti target. The deposition process was carried out under various Ar/O2 atmospheres (with a content of 5–8% O2). The as-deposited TiOx films were non-stoichiometric. The influence of deposition parameters on optical properties, microstructure, hardness, and elastic modulus was examined. In addition, the dependence between the oxygen content in the sputtering atmosphere and the photocatalytic activity of the coatings was examined. The scratch resistance of the coatings and their adhesion to flexible glass were also investigated. It has been shown that the GIMS technique can be used for efficient deposition of non-stoichiometric TiOx coatings on substrates sensitive to the temperature as thin flexible glass and, at the same time, characterized by high adhesion. The TiOx-based semiconductor coatings prepared in this study can be used successfully in transparent electronics and in the construction of modern photovoltaic panels due to their photocatalytic activity, high hardness, and high level of transparency.