Photocatalytic Activity of Reactively Sputtered Titania Coatings Deposited Using a Full Face Erosion Magnetron

Coatings

Nick Farahani¹  Peter J. Kelly¹  Glen West¹  Claire Hill² 

[1] Surface Engineering Group, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK; E-Mails:;Millennium Inorganic Chemicals Ltd., a Cristal Global Company Grimsby, Lincolnshire, DN40 2PR, UK; E-Mail:

关键词: full face erosion magnetrons;    magnetron sputtering;    metal targets;    photocatalytic coatings;    Raman spectroscopy;    methyl orange;   

DOI  :  10.3390/coatings3040177

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Titanium dioxide (titania) is widely used as a photocatalyst for its moderate band gap, high photoactivity, recyclability, nontoxicity, low cost and its significant chemical stability. The anatase phase of titania is known to show the highest photocatalytic activity, however, the presence of this phase alone is not sufficient for sustained activity. In this study TiO₂ coatings were deposited onto glass substrates by mid-frequency pulsed magnetron sputtering from metallic targets in reactive mode using a Full Face Erosion (FFE) magnetron, which allows the magnetic field to be modulated during the deposition process. The as-deposited coatings were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Selected coatings were then annealed at temperatures in the range of 400–700 °C and re-analysed. The photocatalytic activity of the coatings was investigated through measurements of the degradation of organic dyes, such as methyl orange, under the influence of UV and fluorescent light sources. It has been demonstrated that, after annealing, the pulsed magnetron sputtering process produced photo-active surfaces and that the activity of the coatings under exposure to fluorescent lamps was some 35%–45% of that observed under exposure to UV lamps.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.