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Photocatalytic Activity and Mechanical Performance of O and N Co-doped TiO2 Thin Films

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Abstract

Amorphous TiO2 films were deposited on non-alkali glass by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering using a TiO2 ceramic target. This study analyzed the effects of Ar/O2/N2 gas flow ratios, deposition time, and thermal annealing treatments on the morphological and structural phases and photocatalytic characteristics of the TiO2 films. The XRD results showed a broad hump shape, indicating the existence of an amorphous phase characteristic of TiO2 films. For O2/N2 co-doped TiO2 films, as the O2 and N2 concentration increased, higher photocatalytic activity of TiO2 materials was obtained, while the film growth rate and band gap energy (Eg) values tended to decrease. When increasing the TiO2 film thickness, the amorphous phases remained unchanged, the Eg value narrowed, and higher photocatalytic activity was obtained. After thermal annealing treatments, the TiO2 films showed ultra-hydrophilicity and outstanding photocatalytic efficiency. The TiO2 film annealed at 450°C displayed higher photocatalytic performance and improved mechanical properties. It was seen that when using a higher nanoindentation load, higher hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) were obtained, but the H/E, H3/E2, and elastic recovery rate (%Re) did not change significantly.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Educational Research Projects for Young and Middle-aged Teachers in Fujian (XJZ 18043), and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of China (Taiwan), through Grant nos. MOST 110-2622-E-262-001, MOST 110-2622-E-262-003, MOST 110-2622-E-262-004, MOST 111-2622-E-262-001, and MOST 111-2221-E-262-005.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Physics and Information Engineering, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, 363000, China

    Weimin Tang

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chih-Chung Hu

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chung-Chen Tsao, Chun-Sheng Chen & Chun-Yao Hsu

  4. Department of Chemistry, Science and Arts College, Rabigh Campus, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21911, Saudi Arabia

    L. Selva Roselin

  5. Department of Industrial Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Chin-Guo Kuo

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  1. Weimin Tang
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Tang, W., Hu, CC., Tsao, CC. et al. Photocatalytic Activity and Mechanical Performance of O and N Co-doped TiO2 Thin Films. J. Electron. Mater. 51, 6145–6159 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-022-09843-w

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