Preparation and photo-induced superhydrophilicity of composite TiO2―SiO2―In2O3 thin film

• Published in: Applied surface science 2010-09, Vol.256 (23), p.7062-7066
• Main Authors: ESHAGHI, A, PAKSHIR, M, MOZAFFARINIA, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adsorbed layers and thin films; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Contact angle; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Diffraction; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Immersion coating; Materials science; Materials synthesis; materials processing; Optical constants (including refractive index, complex dielectric constant, absorption, reflection and transmission coefficients, emissivity); Photoemission and photoelectron spectra; Physics; Single-crystal and powder diffraction; Sol-gel processing, precipitation; Spectra; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Thin films; Titanium dioxide; Transmittance; X-ray diffraction and scattering; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; X-rays
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2010.05.026

In this work, TiO2-SiO2-In2O3 composite thin films on glass substrates were prepared by the sol-gel dip coating process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to evaluate the structural and chemical properties of the films. UV-vis spectrophotometer was used to measure the transmittance spectra of thin films. The water contact angle (WCA) of thin films during UV/vis irradiation and storage in a dark place was measured by a contact angle analyzer. The results indicated that fabrication of composite film has a significant effect on transmittance and superhydrophilicity of TiO2 films.