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Preparation of nanocrystalline titania films with different porosity by water-based chemical solution deposition

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Abstract

This study describes the synthesis of nanocrystalline titania layers on silicon and glass substrates by chemical solution deposition, using a water-based citratoperoxo-Ti(IV) precursor solution. The same aqueous solution–gel precursor is used for deposition of, both, thin dense layers by spin-coating and thicker porous layers by tape-casting. In the latter, the precursor solution is modified by the addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which acts as a thickener and pore-forming agent. Phase composition, film morphology, and the hydrophilic character of the films are studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–VIS transmission measurements, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), and by contact angle measurements. The thin 180 nm titania film, deposited from the unmodified precursor solution, shows a density of about 96%. Upon ultraviolet illumination, it acquires a highly hydrophilic surface. One hour of illumination is sufficient to obtain a water contact angle of almost 0°. Furthermore, the hydrophilisation process shows to be reversible. Tape-casting and thermal treatment of the modified precursor solution gives rise to the formation of a 500 nm thick, porous, pure anatase film. The nanocrystalline thick film is composed of 20–40 nm particles, and contains clearly defined pores of 20 nm, homogeneously distributed along the surface.

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Acknowledgements

M. K. Van Bael is a post-doctoral fellow of the Research Foundation Flanders, Belgium (FWO Vlaanderen). The authors would like to thank I. Haeldermans, B. Ruttens and Koen Vandewal of the Institute for Materials Research (IMO, UHasselt) for performing the XRD, TEM and SEM measurements and data fitting and S. Mullens of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) for performing the N2 sorption measurements and SEM image analysis. The authors also wish to thank the laboratory ‘Cel Kunststoffen’ of the Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg for the use of its contact angle analyser.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Materials Research, Laboratory of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Hasselt University, Agoralaan-Building D, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium

    Ine Truijen, Marlies K. Van Bael, Heidi Van den Rul & Jules Mullens

  2. Division IMOMEC, IMEC vzw, Agoralaan-Building D, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium

    Marlies K. Van Bael, Heidi Van den Rul & Jan D’Haen

  3. Institute for Materials Research, Physical Analysis Group, Hasselt University, Wetenschapspark 1, Diepenbeek, 3590, Belgium

    Jan D’Haen

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  1. Ine Truijen
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  2. Marlies K. Van Bael
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  3. Heidi Van den Rul
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  4. Jan D’Haen
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  5. Jules Mullens
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Correspondence to Jules Mullens.

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Truijen, I., Van Bael, M.K., Van den Rul, H. et al. Preparation of nanocrystalline titania films with different porosity by water-based chemical solution deposition. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 43, 291–297 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-007-1587-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-007-1587-x

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