Preparation and characterization of TiO2/carbon composite thin films with enhanced photocatalytic activity
Journal article, 2011

Composite TiO2/carbon thin films prepared by physical vapor deposition techniques on fused silica substrates show enhanced photocatalytic activity towards decomposition of methanol to CO2 and water, as compared to pure TiO2 films of similar thickness. Raman and XRD measurements confirm that annealed TiO2 films exhibit anatase structure while the carbon layer becomes graphitic. Characteristic for the composite films is an enhanced optical absorption in the visible range. The presence of the carbon film causes a shift of the TiO2 absorption edge and modifies its grain size to be smaller. We hypothesize that the observed enhancement of photocatalytic activity is due to synergy effects at the carbon/TiO2 interface, resulting in smaller titania crystallite size and anisotropic charge carrier transport, which in turn reduces their recombination probability.

Titanium dioxide

Methanol decomposition

Carbon

Thin film

Photocatalysis

Characterization

Author

Raja Sellappan

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Jiefang Zhu

Uppsala University

Hans Fredriksson

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Rafael Da Silva Martins

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Michael Zäch

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Dinko Chakarov

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical

1381-1169 (ISSN)

Vol. 335 1-2 136-144

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Condensed Matter Physics

Areas of Advance

Materials Science

DOI

10.1016/j.molcata.2010.11.025

More information

Latest update

2/28/2018