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Fabrication and characteristics of TiO 2 films by a microwave drying technique
Author(s) -
Jaroenworaluck Angkhana,
Panyathanmaporn Thammarat,
Soontornworajit Boonchoy,
Supothina Sitthisuntorn
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.2312
Subject(s) - materials science , anatase , scanning electron microscope , calcination , sol gel , chemical engineering , substrate (aquarium) , photocatalysis , fabrication , transmission electron microscopy , coating , thin film , aqueous solution , nanoparticle , dip coating , nanotechnology , composite material , catalysis , chemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , oceanography , alternative medicine , pathology , geology , engineering
Preparation of TiO 2 film coatings on various substrates for photocatalysis applications has been studied. A non‐aqueous sol was prepared using tetra‐propylorthotitanate (Ti(OPr) 4 ) and 1,2 butadiol (Bu(OH) 2 ) as starting chemicals, for casting onto a glass substrate. From this synthesis method, nanosized TiO 2 consisting of pure anatase phase could be prepared, and was characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To apply the synthesis process for fabrication of TiO 2 film coatings, commercial nanosized TiO 2 powder, Degussa P‐25, was added and intimately mixed into the as‐prepared sol as a source of TiO 2 nanoparticles. The surface of the glass substrate used in this study was cleaned, polished, and chemically etched before coating. To control film thickness, multi‐casting of the sol onto the substrate before the gelatinization process was applied. Prior to calcination, the gel film was dried by means of a domestic microwave oven, heating at 800 W for 2 min. The resulting TiO 2 films were then characterized by optical microscopy (OM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and UV/VIS/NIR spectrometry, to identify the film characteristics. The phases present in the films were identified by XRD. From this coating technique, continuous TiO 2 films could be prepared. No cracks were observed on these films. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.