Effect of carbon and oxygen on phase transformation of titania films during annealing

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology Vol. 204; no. 6; pp. 834 - 839
• Main Authors: Chou, Po-Wen, Wang, Yu-Shiuan, Lin, Chun-Chu, Chen, Yi-Jia, Cheng, Chia-Liang, Wong, Ming-Show
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 25.12.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anatase; Carbon-doped titania; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Phase transformation; Physics; Rutile; Surface treatments; Titanium dioxide; Carbon-doped titania; Phase transformation; Anatase; Rutile; Titanium dioxide; Annealing; Phase transformations; Doping; Surface treatments; Titanium oxide; Carbon additions; Heat treatments
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2009.08.008

Pure and carbon-doped amorphous titania films were prepared in an argon–oxygen plasma by reactive sputtering of a titanium metal target and co-sputtering of a Ti and a graphite target, respectively. The as-deposited films were subsequently annealed in vacuum and in air. The influence of the annealing atmosphere and temperature on the composition, phase transformation and crystallinity of the films was systematically studied. The results indicate that carbon incorporated in titania and an oxygen deficient environment both facilitate the formation of oxygen vacancies in titania which favors the phase transformation to rutile during annealing at low temperatures. A mechanism is proposed to explain why carbon incorporation and oxygen defects in titania favors the formation of rutile during annealing.