Visible and infrared photocatalytic activity of TiOx thin films prepared by reactive sputtering

• Published in: Materials science in semiconductor processing Vol. 40; pp. 720 - 726
• Main Authors: Zapata-Torres, M., Hernández-Rodríguez, E., Mis-Fernandez, R., Meléndez-Lira, M., Calzadilla Amaya, O., Bahena, D., Rejon, V., Peña, J.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2015
• Subjects: NIR photocathalitic activity; Red-shift band gap; TiOx; NIR photocathalitic activity; TiOx; Red-shift band gap
• ISSN: 1369-8001; 1873-4081
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2015.07.072

TiOx thin films have been deposited on corning glass substrates, using RF magnetron reactive sputtering from a Ti target. The effect of oxygen mass flow (OMF) used during the growth of the films on their physical and photocatalytic properties was investigated. The properties of the samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The films presented a stratified structure with the surface layer having the stoichiometric characteristics of TiO2 while the inner layer contained a mixture of TiO2, Ti2O3 and TiO oxides. The photocatalytic efficiency was evaluated by the photodegradation of a methylene blue aqueous solution. The samples showed a photocatalytic activity in the visible and visible-NIR light spectrum, depending on the phases of titanium oxides present in the film.