Multifunctional silver-coated transparent TiO2 thin films for photocatalytic and antimicrobial applications

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 617; p. 156519
• Main Authors: Cuadra, J.G., Molina-Prados, S., Mínguez-Vega, Gladys, Estrada, Ana.C., Trindade, T., Oliveira, C., Seabra, M.P., Labrincha, J., Porcar, S., Cadena, R., Fraga, D., Carda, J.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 30.04.2023
• Subjects: Antimicrobial activity; Laser ablation; Photocatalysis; Spray pyrolysis; Transparent thin films; Transparent thin films; Antimicrobial activity; Spray pyrolysis; Laser ablation; Photocatalysis
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.156519

[Display omitted] •Synthesis of transparent TiO2 thin films functionalised with silver NPs for photocatalytic and antimicrobial surfaces.•The synthesis methodologies used, such as spray pyrolysis and pulsed laser ablation (PLAL), have a wide industrial application.•The addition of silver NPs on the TiO2 surface improves the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties.•Photocatalytic tests confirm that these thin films could be used to degrade pollutants such as Rhodamine B by UV light. Transparent TiO2 thin films coated with Ag NPs were synthesized using two industrially applicable techniques,pulsed laser ablation (PLAL) and spray pyrolysis without using high vacuum. These transparent thin films were deposited on glass in order to generate glass materials with photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties and a minimum loss of transparency. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the thin films were examined using Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to identify the NPs on the TiO2 surface. The transmittance value for the thin films was greater than 80%.The thin films thus synthesized were then assessed to determine their photocatalytic capacity by monitoring the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light irradiation. Ag NPs on the TiO2 surface ensures an improvement in the photocatalytic properties, with a 99% degradation of RhB in 210 min under UV light. In addition, these transparent thin films showed high antimicrobial activity on Gram-negative bacteria when irradiated by UV light for 4 h, killing 93% of these bacteria.