Reactive Sputtering Research Articles

WO3/Cu2O-CuO and WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO heterojunctions photocatalysts for self-cleaning and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants applications

In this work, a high-performance WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO heterojunctions was deposited via dc reactive magnetron sputtering, which displayed superhydrophilicity conversion and superior photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue. WO3, WO3/Cu2O-CuO, WO3/Au and WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO heterojunctions were sputtered on precleaned glass and Si(100) substrates. The chemical composition, crystal structure, surface morphology, optical absorption, water contact angle and photocatalytic activities of the prepared single and multilayers films were examined to elucidate the correlation between structure and other properties. SEM revealed tiny small nanoparticles for WO3 film, close-packed nanoparticles for WO3/Cu2O-CuO multilayers and nanoparticles with more open structure for WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO heterojunctions. The WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO heterojunctions had the highest optical absorption. The estimated band gap values were 3.16, 3.08, 2.97 and 2.65 eV for WO3, WO3/Cu2O-CuO, WO3/Au and WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO, respectively. The WO3/Cu2O-CuO, WO3/Au and WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO became superhydrophilic after UV illumination. The remarkable photocatalytic activities of WO3/Au/Cu2O-CuO is attributed to the enhanced efficiency of separation for photogenerated hole–electron pairs.

Oxidized textured stainless steel surface with passivation layer as a high temperature selective solar absorber

A nanocrystalline textured stainless steel (SS) surface passivated with an AlCr oxide layer is proposed for use as a high temperature solar selective absorbers (SSAs). The textured SS surface was prepared by oxidizing in air at 800 °C for 30 min. The heating resulted in outward diffusion of the SS substrate Mn atoms, their oxidation on the surface, and formation of octahedral Mn3O4 nanocrystals, which play a role of textured surface. The passivation AlCr oxide single layer was deposited on the textured surface using reactive RF magnetron sputtering to protect the SS from further oxidation. The solar absorptivity αs and thermal emissivity ε298K of the as-deposited SSAs were 0.84 and 0.165, respectively. In order to study high temperature stability, SSAs were heat treated under air conditions at 600–900 °C for 0.1–300 h. SSAs demonstrated thermal stability at 600 °C for at least 300 h and degradation of optical properties with performance criterion PC < 0.05 at 700, 800, and 900 °C for 300 h, 30 h, and 1 h, respectively. The increase in thickness of the surface Cr2O3 layer on SS substrate was identified as the main degradation mechanism of SSA optical performance. SSAs demonstrated a high activation energy of 330 ± 30 kJ/mol. The obtained data can be used to design high temperature SSAs for concentrating solar energy systems operating under vacuum or air conditions at 500 °C.

Microstructure and corrosion properties of Al1-xWxN coatings for potential use in gas turbine blades

Herein, a numerical approach of Al1-xWxN thin film coatings on Inconel 738LC superalloys for thermal barrier applications has been studied and the experimental analysis includes deposition of Al1-xWxN films on Si (100), glass and transparent quartz substrates at 40 % N2 flow rate using a dual target DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique to investigate the morphology, microstructure, chemical bonding and corrosion behaviour. AFM analysis revealed the rms roughness, Sq and average roughness, Sa increased with the increasing W content from 22 to 70 at.%. It was found that Al1-xWxN films tend to form tiny valleys on the film surface because the values of surface skewness, Ssk lie below zero. The TEM image showed a branched snowflake structure for the specimen of Al0.58W0.42N films with discrete spots in the SAED pattern, confirming the microcrystalline nature. The blue-shifting of Ecorr towards positive potential confirmed the lower corrosion resistance of WN films than those of AlN. XRD spectra of Al0.58W0.42N films showed an amorphous nature devoid of peaks, which is also confirmed by the SAED pattern. The quasi-passive oxide layer formation was spontaneous for WN films compared to the AlN films. The bending vibrations of AlN and WN showed the coordination environment of the metal centre in the Al1-xWxN films. The computational results indicated that the thermal barrier properties of Al1-xWxN films decreased with the increasing W content, i.e., AIN > Al0.58 W0.42N > WN.

Towards ZnO-Based Near-Infra-Red Radiation Detectors: Performance Improvement via Si Nanoclusters Embedment

Si nanoparticles embedded in a ZnO matrix were produced by a sequential deposition of ZnO/Si/ZnO layers, by radio frequency sputtering. Sample growth temperatures of 25 °C, 300 °C, and 500 °C were used to deposit ZnO/Si/ZnO layers on soda lime glass and p-type silicon substrates; ZnO layers were deposited by reactive radio-frequency sputtering employing a mixture of Ar/O2, with a ratio of 66/33, as working atmosphere. The type of substrate and the growth temperature affect the first ZnO layer roughness, promoting the formation of silicon nanoparticles, matrix characteristics, and as consequence, spectral response. The roughness of the initial ZnO layer is transferred to the top layer of ZnO, and it can be tailored between 65 and 370 Å, depending on the sample growth temperature. Transmission electron microscopy show that substrate temperature mainly affects the density of silicon nanoparticles rather than their size. ZnO/Si/ZnO films deposited on p-type silicon substrate were processed and photosensors were obtained, showing a selective response in the 950 to 1150 nm wavelength range, making them suitable candidates for near infrared detectors.

Structural and tribomechanical properties of Cr-DLC films deposited by reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering

Hydrogenated Cr-containing diamond-like carbon (Cr-DLC) films were deposited onto silicon and Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) alloy substrates using high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technology with various bias voltages. A comprehensive investigation was conducted to analyze the element composition, surface morphologies and roughness, chemical bonding states as well as the mechanical and tribological properties of films. The results revealed a slight increase in the Cr content in films, ranging from 7.7 at. % to 11.2 at. %, as the bias voltage was raised from −80 V to −200 V. Surface particles on films were significantly diminished at moderate bias voltage. Moreover, the fluctuation in surface roughness exhibited a similar trend to the surface morphologies, reaching 236.9 nm at −80 V, then decreasing to 57.8 nm at −150 V. However, upon further increase to −200 V, the surface roughness inversely rose to 121.9 nm. This phenomenon can be attributed to the etching effect resulting from the bombardment of high-energy ions. The Cr atoms in films predominantly existed in the form of Cr-C bonds independent of bias voltage. The hardness results of the films demonstrated the highest value of 15.1 GPa at −150 V, which then decreased to 8.3 GPa at −200 V, influenced by the transformation of sp3-C to sp2-C bonds due to the high-energy ions bombarded at high bias voltages. Tribological findings indicated that the coefficient of friction (COFs) of films remained largely unaffected by the bias voltage under 5 N normal load, varying between 0.10 and 0.15, the maximum wear rate of film was 6.06 × 10−7 mm3/N⋅m. Nevertheless, all films showed decreased COFs and wear rates with an increase in load. These research findings hold promise for enhancing the practical engineering applications of DLC film in the field of surface modification for titanium alloys.

Fabrication and characterization of NiO nanoparticles deposited via reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique

Nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructure was successfully prepared via reactive DC magnetron sputtering on the soda-lima glass substrate, which can be used for various applications. Xray diffraction (XRD) investigations were used to evaluate NiO with two annealing durations. The results revealed that the deposited films had a cubic structure and polycrystalline nanoparticles. A significant polycrystalline structure could be seen in the sputtered films as a diffraction peak oriented toward NiO (200). Field-emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis identified the surface morphology of NiO nanoparticles prepared at two different annealing times with the two average sizes (24 and 32 nm) respectively. The samples' roughness was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Increased annealing time was shown to result in a decrease in grain size. The energy band gap (Eg) expanded with increasing annealing time, according to UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the functional groups of NiO nanoparticles and their bonding nature. The results indicate that optical characterizations are more sensitive to the annealing period.

High-rate Deposition of Crystalline TiHfN Ultra-thin Films by Closed-field Dual-cathode DC Unbalanced Reactive Magnetron Sputtering without External Substrate Heating

High deposition rate titanium hafnium nitride (TiHfN) ultra-thin film deposition was successfully prepared by closed-field dual-cathode DC unbalanced reactive magnetron sputtering. All prepared films were polycrystalline. The morphology and atomic composition of the TiHfN ultra-thin film were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The columnar structure could be promoted by increasing the deposition time. Lastly, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity was investigated by Rhodamine 6G (R6G) drop-dried TiHfN ultra-thin film surface. The TiHfN ultra-thin films deposited at 20 s were found to have a high SERS activity, whose detection of R6G molecule at 10-5 M. The result could open preliminary studies on ternary transition metal nitride (TTMN) thin films for the alternative plasmonic sensors as SERS chips.

Fabrication and characterization of NiO nanoparticles deposited via reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique

Nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructure was successfully prepared via reactive DC magnetron sputtering on the soda-lima glass substrate, which can be used for various applications. Xray diffraction (XRD) investigations were used to evaluate NiO with two annealing durations. The results revealed that the deposited films had a cubic structure and polycrystalline nanoparticles. A significant polycrystalline structure could be seen in the sputtered films as a diffraction peak oriented toward NiO (200). Field-emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis identified the surface morphology of NiO nanoparticles prepared at two different annealing times with the two average sizes (24 and 32 nm) respectively. The samples' roughness was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Increased annealing time was shown to result in a decrease in grain size. The energy band gap (Eg) expanded with increasing annealing time, according to UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). FTIR spectroscopy was used to determine the functional groups of NiO nanoparticles and their bonding nature. The results indicate that optical characterizations are more sensitive to the annealing period.

Dual-Wave ZnO Film Ultrasonic Transducers for Temperature and Stress Measurements.

ZnO film ultrasonic transducers for temperature and stress measurements with dual-mode wave excitation (longitudinal and shear) were deposited using the reactive RF magnetron sputtering technique on Si and stainless steel substrates and construction steel bolts. It was found that the position in the substrate plane had a significant effect on the structure and ultrasonic performance of the transducers. The transducers deposited at the center of the deposition zone demonstrated a straight columnar structure with a c-axis parallel to the substrate normal and the generation of longitudinal waves. The transducers deposited at the edge of the deposition zone demonstrated inclined columnar structures and the generation of dominant shear or longitudinal shear waves. Transducers deposited on the bolts with dual-wave excitation were used to study the effects of high temperatures in the range from 25 to 525 °C and tensile stress in the range from 0 to 268 MPa on ultrasonic response. Dependencies between changes in the relative time of flight and temperature or axial stress were obtained. The dependencies can be described by second-order functions of temperature and stress. An analysis of the contributions of thermal expansion, strain, and the speed of sound to changes in the time of flight was performed. At high temperatures, a decrease in the signal amplitude was observed due to the decreasing resistivity of the transducer. The ZnO ultrasonic transducers can be used up to temperatures of ~500 °C.

WSCF coatings tested under various environmental conditions: A multivariate tribological analysis

This study examines the influence of carbon (C) and fluorine (F) on the tribological and mechanical properties of WSCF coatings. WSCF-coated substrates were prepared with varying levels of C (10.4 to 18.7 at%) and F (5.3 to 9.3 at%) using DC reactive magnetron sputtering. Tribological performance was evaluated at 25 °C and 200 °C in dry and lubricated conditions. Alloying led to thicker, more amorphous, denser, and smoother coatings. An exceptional coefficient of friction (COF) as low as 0.008 was observed for WSCF2 (15.4 at% C and 9.3 at% F). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed high F-doped coating in WSCF2 demonstrated improved tribological performance, resulting in a 38 % reduction in COF at 25 °C and dry conditions.

Phase selectivity upon flash-lamp annealing of sputter deposited amorphous titanium oxide films

We report the impact of flash-lamp-annealing (FLA) on the structural evolution of amorphous titania (TiO2) films produced by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. TiO2 films were grown at room-temperature at different oxygen partial pressure (PO2) and subsequently annealed as a function of the FLA energy density. X-ray diffraction confirms that FLA induces phase formation from the initial amorphous state with a general transition from anatase to rutile by increasing the FLA energy density (temperature). Interestingly, the transformation onset of anatase to rutile is achieved at lower energy densities for higher PO2. On the contrary, films with a highly resilient anatase phase can be produced at relatively low PO2. A detailed analysis of the pristine amorphous structure carried out by X-ray absorption near-edge structure indicates the role of oxygen sites in the observed phase transformation. In particular, oxygen vacancies seem to stabilize the anatase phase at high temperatures. The results show the relevance of subtle changes in the initial amorphous structure for phase selectivity in TiO2 films upon FLA.

Low‐Temperature Synthesis of Stable CaZn2P2 Zintl Phosphide Thin Films as Candidate Top Absorbers

AbstractThe development of tandem photovoltaics and photoelectrochemical solar cells requires new absorber materials with bandgaps in the range of ≈1.5–2.3 eV, for use in the top cell paired with a narrower‐gap bottom cell. An outstanding challenge is finding materials with suitable optoelectronic and defect properties, good operational stability, and synthesis conditions that preserve underlying device layers. This study demonstrates the Zintl phosphide compound CaZn2P2 as a compelling candidate semiconductor for these applications. Phase‐pure, ≈500 nm‐thick CaZn2P2 thin films are prepared using a scalable reactive sputter deposition process at growth temperatures as low as 100 °C, which is desirable for device integration. Ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy shows that CaZn2P2 films exhibit an optical absorptivity of ≈104 cm−1 at ≈1.95 eV direct bandgap. Room‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements show near‐band‐edge optical emission, and time‐resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) measurements indicate a photoexcited carrier lifetime of ≈30 ns. CaZn2P2 is highly stable in both ambient conditions and moisture, as evidenced by PL and TRMC measurements. Experimental data are supported by first‐principles calculations, which indicate the absence of low‐formation‐energy, deep intrinsic defects. Overall, this study shall motivate future work integrating this potential top cell absorber material into tandem solar cells.

Effects of sputtering pressure on microstructure and secondary electron emission properties of AlN film prepared by magnetron sputtering

In this paper, aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films were prepared by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at different sputtering pressures and the crystalline structure, surface morphology and secondary electron emission (SEE) properties of the AlN films were studied in detail. The experimental results reveal that AlN films present the preferred orientation of a-axis (100), and the grain size and surface roughness of the film decrease with the increase of sputtering pressure. Additionally, the SEE coefficient of the film reaches a maximum of 4.3 at 200 eV when the sputtering pressure is 0.55 Pa and is relatively stable under the continuous bombardment of an incident electron with the energy of 200 eV. Thus, the AlN thin film prepared under the optimized sputtering pressure has a relatively high and stable coefficient at a low incident electron energy, which promotes its potential application in the high-gain and long-life electron multipliers.

Electronic transport in reactively sputtered Mn3GaN films prepared under optimized nitrogen flow

Abstract Mn-based nitrides with antiperovskite structures have several properties that can be utilized for antiferromagnetic spintronics. Their magnetic properties depend on the structural quality, composition and doping of the cubic antiperovskite structure. Such nitride thin films are usually produced by reactive physical vapor deposition, where the deposition rate of N can only be controlled by the N2 gas flow. We show that the tuning of the N content can be optimized using low temperature resistivity measurements, which serve as an indicator of the degree of structural disorder. Several Mn3GaN x films were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering under different N2 gas flows. Under optimized gas flow conditions, we obtain films that exhibit a metal-like temperature dependence of the resistivity, a vanishing logarithmic increase of the resistivity towards zero, the highest resistivity ratio, and a lattice contraction of 0.4% along the growth direction when heated above the Néel temperature T N . The retarded formation of an additional magnetic phase appearing at a temperature T ∗ ≪ T N gives rise to a large thermal hysteresis of the resistivity and anomalous Hall effect.

Structural, mechanical, corrosion, and early biological assessment of tantalum nitride coatings deposited by reactive HiTUS

This study examined microstructure, mechanical, corrosion properties and initial biological evaluation of the tantalum nitride (Ta-xN, where x – nitrogen flow rate during deposition) coatings prepared by reactive High Utilization Sputtering (HiTUS) at various nitrogen flow rates (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 sccm). Coatings were deposited on a novel Mg alloy (Mgbal.-Zn0.9-Y2.05-Al0.25 at. %) containing long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases. The coatings' structure was analyzed using a combination of SEM/FIB/TEM techniques, while XRD determined the phase composition. The mechanical parameters investigated included hardness, indentation modulus, and scratch behavior. The corrosion resistance of the coatings with respect to the bare substrate was evaluated in chloride-containing solutions. The wettability and early biological assessment of the coatings were also examined. The phase evolution strongly influenced the hardness and indentation modulus. The Ta-xN coatings made at x = 2 sccm nitrogen corresponding to HCP-Ta2N exhibited the highest hardness and indentation modulus. An increase in nitrogen flow rates resulted in the formation of FCC structure with slightly reduced hardness and indentation modulus. In addition, Ta-xN coatings (x ≥ 4sccm) showed superior corrosion resistance compared to BCC structured α-Ta, enhancing the corrosion performance of the Mg-LPSO bulk substrate. Finally, at the early incubation stage (24 h), L929 fibroblasts exhibited better cell attachment to the Ta-6N coating than to the bare Mg-LPSO substrate.

Impact of deposition pressure on the structural, nanomechanical, and tribological properties of δ-TaN coatings deposited via magnetron sputtering on Ti6Al7Nb alloy

In the present study, δ-TaN thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering (physical vapour deposition) on Ti6Al7Nb alloy by varying the deposition pressure (0.8–0.2 Pa). Their crystalline structure, chemical composition, surface roughness, and surface morphology were investigated by using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, scanning probe microscope, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. Structural analysis results confirmed the deposition of cubic δ-TaN thin films along the (111) basal plane; moreover, spherical dome-like surface morphology was observed by FESEM. Further, to analyze the nanomechanical properties of the deposited δ-TaN coatings, such as hardness (H) and modulus (E), scratch tests were performed utilizing the nanomechanical system. Moreover, friction and wear properties of the coating and bare sample (substrate) were investigated on nano-tribometer equipment using a rotary ball-on-disk type configuration. The stainless steel (SS-316) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) balls were used as the counter materials for the tribological tests. The observations of nanomechanical tests revealed that H (GPa), E (GPa), and H/E ratio values increased from 11.83 to 28.30 GPa, 176.02 to 248.45 GPa, and 0.06 to 0.11, respectively, with the decrease of the deposition pressure. In the scratch test, the highest critical load (cohesion failure) was found for δ-TaN coating deposited at the lowest deposition pressure (0.2 Pa). Tribological results of δ-TaN coatings demonstrated average coefficient of friction (COF) value ranges between 0.066–0.092 and 0.072–0.029 against steel and Si3N4 balls, respectively. The wear rate values were observed to vary from 8.15 × 10−5 to 7.56 × 10−6 and from 1.77 × 10−3 to 8.99 × 10−6 against steel and Si3N4 balls, respectively. Generally, the average COF and wear rate decreased against 316 SS and Si3N4 balls as the deposition pressure of coatings decreased. However, the coating deposited at 0.8 and 0.6 Pa against Si3N4 ball showed early delamination of the coating, resulting in the sudden fluctuation in COF plots and higher wear rate in the range of 10−3 mm3/N.m.

Plasmonic Resonance Shifts in Gold Nanoparticles‐Thermochromic VO2 Thin Film Hybrid Platforms: A Joint Experimental and Numerical Study

AbstractThe combination of the phase transition in thermochromic vanadium dioxide (VO2) with plasmonic nanoparticles paves the way for applications in various fields, including optical sensing, advanced coatings, and dynamic optical devices. This study presents a simple fabrication method to control both the size and surface coverage of NPs combined with VO2. First, a thermochromic VO2 coating with a phase transition at 68 °C is synthesized using reactive magnetron sputtering. Then, monodisperse 30 nm diameter gold NPs are bonded to the VO2 surface using (3‐aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) linkers, examining the effect of immersion duration on surface coverage. Two platforms are developed: a VO2 thin film with a monolayer of NPs and a configuration with NPs between two VO2 films. The temperature‐dependent plasmonic response of these platforms is measured by extinction spectroscopy, showing a significant wavelength resonance shift of approximately 10 nm for the first platform and 20 nm for the second. Optical simulations analyze this shift over various geometries, from isolated NPs to fully covered NPs, achieving a 60 nm shift for NPs embedded in a thin VO2 film. This study demonstrates an effective approach to synthesizing thermochromic VO2 coatings with gold NPs, offering insights into the plasmonic properties of hybrid platforms.

DFT electronic structure investigation of chromium ion-implanted cupric oxide thin films dedicated for photovoltaic absorber layers

This study explores the enhancement of cupric oxide (CuO) thin films for photovoltaic applications through chromium doping and subsequent annealing. Thin films of CuO were deposited on silicon and glass substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering. Chromium was introduced via ion implantation, and samples were annealed to restore the crystal structure. The optical and structural properties of the films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. Results indicated that implantation reduced the absorbance and conductivity of the films, while annealing effectively restored these properties. Sample implanted with 10 keV energy and 1 × 1014 cm−2 dose of Cr ions, after annealing had sheet resistance of 1.1 × 106 Ω/sq compared to 1.7 × 106 Ω/sq for non implanted and annealed CuO. Study of crystalline structure confirmed the importance of annealing as it reduced the stress present in the material after deposition and implantation. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structure and optical properties of CuO with varying levels of chromium doping. Calculations revealed an energy gap of 1.8 eV for undoped CuO, with significant changes in optical absorption for doped samples. Energy band gap determined using absorbance measurement and Tauc plot method had value of 1.10 eV for as deposited CuO. Samples after implantation and annealing had energy band gap value increased to about 1.20 eV. The study demonstrates that chromium doping and subsequent annealing can enhance the optical and electronic properties of CuO thin films, making them more efficient for photovoltaic applications.

Effect of sputter power on red-shifted optoelectronic properties in magnetron sputtered Ag/ZnO thin films

This study explores Ag/ZnO thin films on glass (Corning 0211) substrates, which were deposited using dc/rf magnetron reactive sputtering at varying Ag-sputter powers. The impact of Ag-sputter power on physical properties, such as structural, surface, compositional, optical, and electrical properties, is systematically explored. Grazing angle x-ray diffraction affirms a single-phase hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure in all films, predominantly oriented along (002) normal to the substrate. Thin films deposited at 90 W Ag-sputter power exhibit superior structural and morphological properties, including greatest crystallite and grain size, minimum stress, and roughness. Electrical studies indicate that the material exhibits a semiconducting nature, with its electrical resistivity decreasing to a minimum of 0.8 Ω cm at 95 W. At this level of Ag sputter power, the films demonstrate low resistivity, high mobility (0.49 cm2/V s), a charge carrier concentration of 9.6 × 1019 cm−3, and an optical transmittance of 79%, along with an optical band gap energy (Eg) of 3.06 eV. This underscores the influence of Ag sputter power in tailoring Ag/ZnO thin films for optoelectronic applications.

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2:TiN nanocomposite films prepared by DC reactive sputtering technique for air purification

This study concerns the production of advanced materials and a novel technique for enhancing photocatalytic efficiency, focusing specifically on the purification of air contaminated with methane gas. Titanium dioxide:Titanium nitride (TiO2/TiN) nanocomposite films were prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering of highly-pure titanium sheet in presence of oxygen and nitrogen as reactive gases with optimized mixing ratios to produce the composite structures. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the prepared nanocomposites were determined and analyzed. The primary goal of this study was to enhance the photocatalytic activity of such nanocomposites against methane gas pollution. It is observed that increasing the nitrogen content in the TiO2:TiN nanocomposite structure led to notable improvements in photocatalytic efficiency. Specifically, when these nanocomposites were subjected to a UV light, they exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity in the removal of methane gas from the surrounding air, which demonstrates a direct correlation with increased nitrogen (N) content in the composite structure. These nanocomposites are reasonably promising in removing harmful gases and pollutants present in indoor and outdoor environments. This exploration not only sheds light on the remarkable potential of TiO2:TiN nanocomposites for air purification but also highlights the importance of innovative techniques, such as dc reactive magnetron sputtering in the field of materials science and engineering as well as in environmental remediation.