Titanium Oxide Thin Films on Organic Interfaces through Biomimetic Processing

Abstract

Titanium oxide (TiO2) thin films have been deposited on silicon, glass, and plastic substrates by destabilization of an aqueous titanium lactate solution at low temperatures (<100°C). The process uses a commercially available, low‐cost precursor and is simple to perform; it involves only control of pH in aqueous, chelated titanium solutions. With this solution technique, high deposition rates (>50 nm/min), film thickness (>100 nm), and excellent film uniformity have been obtained. Uniform coatings can be applied on complex‐shaped polymeric substrates and porous membranes. Films can be formed on both sulfonated and untreated polymeric surfaces. As‐deposited films on plastic substrates consist of amorphous, hydrated TiO2. On sulfonated self‐assembled monolayers on silicon substrates, nanocrystalline TiO2 films have been formed. The deposited films exhibit strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption with excellent transmission in the visible wavelength range, which indicates that the coatings may be useful as protective UV blockers for polymeric materials.