Processing and properties of transparent sulfated TiO₂ thin films using sol-gel method

For this study, transparent sulfated TiO₂ thin films were prepared from Ti alkoxide. Vacuum ultraviolet illumination in air at 180 °C was demonstrated to be an effective pretreatment for reproducible preparation of crack-free sulfated TiO₂ thin films. The film provides a high photoinduced wettability conversion rate and photocatalytic decomposition efficiency on gaseous n-hexane under proper conditions. This result is attributable to the accelerated decomposition of intermediates by a strong inorganic acid on the surface or to the resultant high quantum yield by suppressing the recombination between electrons and holes on the film surface.