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Garg R, Gonuguntla S, Sk S, Iqbal MS, Dada AO, Pal U, Ahmadipour M. Sputtering thin films: Materials, applications, challenges and future directions. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 330:103203. [PMID: 38820883 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2024.103203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Sputtering is an effective technique for producing ultrathin films with diverse applications. The review begins by providing an in-depth overview of the background, introducing the early development of sputtering and its principles. Consequently, progress in advancements made in recent decades highlights the renaissance of sputtering as a powerful technology for creating thin films with varied compositions, structures, and properties. For the first time, we have discussed a thorough overview of several sputtered thin film materials based on metal and metal oxide, metal nitride, alloys, carbon, and ceramic-based thin film along with their properties and their applicability in various fields. We further delve into the applications of sputter-coated thin films, specifically emphasizing their relevance in environmental sustainability, energy and electronics, and biomedical fields. We critically examine the recent advancements in developing sputter-coated catalysts for eliminating water pollutants andhydrogen generation. Additionally, the review sheds light on advantages, shortcomings, and future directions for developing sputter-coated thin films utilized in biodegradable metals and alloys with enhanced corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. This review is a comprehensive integration of recent literature, covering diverse sputtering thin film applications. We delve deeply into various material types and emphasize critical analysis of recent advancements, particularly in environmental, energy, and biomedical fields. By offering insights into both advancements and limitations, the review provides a nuanced understanding essential for practical utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renuka Garg
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, PO Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
| | - Spandana Gonuguntla
- Department of Energy & Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Saddam Sk
- Department of Energy & Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Muhammad Saqlain Iqbal
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore campus, 54000 Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Adewumi Oluwasogo Dada
- Department of Energy & Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Industrial Chemistry Programme, Nanotechnology Laboratory, Department of Physical Sciences, Landmark University, P.M.B.1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara, Nigeria
| | - Ujjwal Pal
- Department of Energy & Environmental Engineering, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad 500007, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Mohsen Ahmadipour
- Institute of Power Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Serdang, Malaysia.
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He L, Zahn DRT, Madeira TI. Photocatalytic Performance of Sol-Gel Prepared TiO 2 Thin Films Annealed at Various Temperatures. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:5494. [PMID: 37570199 PMCID: PMC10419699 DOI: 10.3390/ma16155494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) in the form of thin films has attracted enormous attention for photocatalysis. It combines the fundamental properties of TiO2 as a large bandgap semiconductor with the advantage of thin films, making it competitive with TiO2 powders for recycling and maintenance in photocatalytic applications. There are many aspects affecting the photocatalytic performance of thin film structures, such as the nanocrystalline size, surface morphology, and phase composition. However, the quantification of each influencing aspect needs to be better studied and correlated. Here, we prepared a series of TiO2 thin films using a sol-gel process and spin-coated on p-type, (100)-oriented silicon substrates with a native oxide layer. The as-deposited TiO2 thin films were then annealed at different temperatures from 400 °C to 800 °C for 3 h in an ambient atmosphere. This sample synthesis provided systemic parameter variation regarding the aspects mentioned above. To characterize thin films, several techniques were used. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) was employed for the investigation of the film thickness and the optical properties. The results revealed that an increasing annealing temperature reduced the film thickness with an increase in the refractive index. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was utilized to examine the surface morphology, revealing an increased surface roughness and grain sizes. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and UV-Raman spectroscopy were used to study the phase composition and crystallite size. The annealing process initially led to the formation of pure anatase, followed by a transformation from anatase to rutile as the annealing temperature increased. An overall enhancement in crystallinity was also observed. The photocatalytic properties of the thin films were tested using the photocatalytic decomposition of acetone gas in a home-built solid (photocatalyst)-gas (reactant) reactor. The composition of the gas mixture in the reaction chamber was monitored using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Finally, all of the structural and spectroscopic characteristics of the TiO2 thin films were quantified and correlated with their photocatalytic properties using a correlation matrix. This provided a good overview of which film properties affect the photocatalytic efficiency the most.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu He
- Semiconductor Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany; (D.R.T.Z.); (T.I.M.)
- Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Dietrich R. T. Zahn
- Semiconductor Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany; (D.R.T.Z.); (T.I.M.)
- Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Teresa I. Madeira
- Semiconductor Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany; (D.R.T.Z.); (T.I.M.)
- Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
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Doubi Y, Hartiti B, Siadat M, Labrim H, Fadili S, Tahri M, Thevenin P. The High Impact of Solution Flow Rate on Optical Properties of TiO
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Thin Layers for Optoelectronic Applications. CRYSTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/crat.202200129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Youssef Doubi
- LVO BEEN laboratory MEEM & DD Group Hassan II University of Casablanca FSTM BP 146 Mohammedia 20650 Morocco
- LCOMS laboratory University of Lorraine Metz 57070 France
| | - Bouchaib Hartiti
- LVO BEEN laboratory MEEM & DD Group Hassan II University of Casablanca FSTM BP 146 Mohammedia 20650 Morocco
| | - Maryam Siadat
- LCOMS laboratory University of Lorraine Metz 57070 France
| | - Hicham Labrim
- Advanced Systems Engineering Laboratory National School of Applied Sciences Ibn Tofaîl University Kenitra 14000 Morocco
| | - Salah Fadili
- LVO BEEN laboratory MEEM & DD Group Hassan II University of Casablanca FSTM BP 146 Mohammedia 20650 Morocco
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ZnO/NiO heterostructures with enhanced photocatalytic activity obtained by ultrasonic spraying of a NiO shell onto ZnO nanorods. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Aminuddin N, Nawi M, Bahrudin N. Enhancing the optical properties of immobilized TiO2/polyaniline bilayer photocatalyst for methyl orange decolorization. REACT FUNCT POLYM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2022.105248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Koltsov M, Krautmann R, Katerski A, Maticiuc N, Krunks M, Oja Acik I, Spalatu N. A post-deposition annealing approach for organic residues control in TiO2 and its impact on Sb2Se3/TiO2 device performance. Faraday Discuss 2022; 239:273-286. [DOI: 10.1039/d2fd00064d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report a systematic investigation on the influence of the two-step post-deposition treatments (PDTs) on TiO2 buffer layers deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) for emerging Sb2Se3 photovoltaics. Air annealing...
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Truong PL, Kidanemariam A, Park J. A critical innovation of photocatalytic degradation for toxic chemicals and pathogens in air. J IND ENG CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2021.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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8
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Sajid HU, Kiran R. Improving the wettability of structural steels by employing ionic liquids. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2020.115137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Amâncio MA, Pinto EP, Matos RS, Nobre FX, Brito WR, da Fonseca Filho HD. Nanoscale morphology and fractal analysis of TiO
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coatings on ITO substrate by electrodeposition. J Microsc 2021; 282:162-174. [DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert Saraiva Matos
- Department of Physics Federal University of Amapá Macapá Amapá Brazil
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Federal University of Sergipe São Cristóvão Sergipe Brazil
| | - Francisco Xavier Nobre
- Department of Chemistry Federal University of Amazonas Manaus Amazonas Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Amazonas Coari Amazonas Brazil
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Multiphase TiO2 aerogels incorporated with Pd for mixed catalysis in wide UV–Vis spectrum. APPLIED NANOSCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13204-020-01627-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Thickness Effect on Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 Thin Films Fabricated by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10091058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, TiO2 thin films were deposited by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis from solutions with concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 M. The deposition temperature was adjusted at 350 °C and all samples were annealed at 500 °C for 1 h in air. The thickness of TiO2 films was changed in the range of 50 to ca. 800 nm by varying the number of spray cycles from 1 to 21 and the solution concentration. The results showed that the mean crystallite size of the anatase structure, the surface roughness, and light absorption increased with the film thickness. The effect of film thickness on the photocatalytic activity was investigated with the photodegradation of stearic acid under UV-A irradiation. The optimal thickness of TiO2 films fabricated by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis for photocatalytic self-cleaning applications was in the range of 170–230 nm, indicating a ca. 2.6 times-higher photocatalytic self-cleaning activity compared to the reference sample, Pilkington ActivTM. The photocatalytic results showed that the 190 nm-thick TiO2 film deposited from the 0.1 M solution applying seven spray cycles exhibited the finest grain structure and maximum photocatalytic activity, leading to 94% of stearic acid degradation in 180 min under UV-A light with the reaction rate constant k = 0.01648 min−1.
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Enhanced Visible and Ultraviolet Light-Induced Gas-Phase Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 Thin Films Modified by Increased Amount of Acetylacetone in Precursor Solution for Spray Pyrolysis. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10091011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
TiO2 thin films, modified by acetylacetone (AcacH) in solution, were deposited on glass substrate by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and tested for photocatalytic activity in a multi-section continuous flow reactor by degradation of acetone and acetaldehyde under ultraviolet and visible light. The increase in molar ratio of AcacH in respect of titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) from 1:5 to 1:8 modified the electronic structure of the films, favoring enhanced photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic activity was enhanced approximately twofold on the film with molar ratio 1:8 under both irradiations; the film completely oxidized 10 ppm of acetone and acetaldehyde. The photocatalytic efficacy of TiO2 films in oxidation of air pollutants was three times higher compared to the industrial glass Pilkington ActivTM. Moreover, all the synthesized films indicate antibacterial efficiency against E. coli of over 99% under ultraviolet. TiO2 film, with TTIP:AcacH molar ratio 1:8 having great possibility for its commercial use as a material for indoor air purification.
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Eensalu JS, Katerski A, Kärber E, Weinhardt L, Blum M, Heske C, Yang W, Oja Acik I, Krunks M. Semitransparent Sb 2S 3 thin film solar cells by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis for use in solar windows. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 10:2396-2409. [PMID: 31886116 PMCID: PMC6902894 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.10.230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The integration of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy in zero-energy buildings requires durable and efficient solar windows composed of lightweight and semitransparent thin film solar cells. Inorganic materials with a high optical absorption coefficient, such as Sb2S3 (>105 cm-1 at 450 nm), offer semitransparency, appreciable efficiency, and long-term durability at low cost. Oxide-free throughout the Sb2S3 layer thickness, as confirmed by combined studies of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and synchrotron soft X-ray emission spectroscopy, semitransparent Sb2S3 thin films can be rapidly grown in air by the area-scalable ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. Integrated into a ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/Au solar cell, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.5% at air mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) is achieved, which is a record among spray-deposited Sb2S3 solar cells. An average visible transparency (AVT) of 26% of the back-contact-less ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3 solar cell stack in the wavelength range of 380-740 nm is attained by tuning the Sb2S3 absorber thickness to 100 nm. In scale-up from mm2 to cm2 areas, the Sb2S3 hybrid solar cells show a decrease in efficiency of only 3.2% for an 88 mm2 Sb2S3 solar cell, which retains 70% relative efficiency after one year of non-encapsulated storage. A cell with a PCE of 3.9% at 1 sun shows a PCE of 7.4% at 0.1 sun, attesting to the applicability of these solar cells for light harvesting under cloud cover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jako S Eensalu
- Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Estonia
| | - Atanas Katerski
- Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Estonia
| | - Erki Kärber
- Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Estonia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003, USA
| | - Lothar Weinhardt
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003, USA
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Monika Blum
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Clemens Heske
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003, USA
- Institute for Photon Science and Synchrotron Radiation (IPS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Wanli Yang
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Ilona Oja Acik
- Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Estonia
| | - Malle Krunks
- Department of Materials and Environmental Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Estonia
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Effect of the Titanium Isopropoxide:Acetylacetone Molar Ratio on the Photocatalytic Activity of TiO 2 Thin Films. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24234326. [PMID: 31783480 PMCID: PMC6930612 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24234326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
TiO2 thin films with different titanium isopropoxide (TTIP):acetylacetone (AcacH) molar ratios in solution were prepared by the chemical spray pyrolysis method. The TTIP:AcacH molar ratio in spray solution varied from 1:3 to 1:20. TiO2 films were deposited onto the glass substrates at 350 °C and heat-treated at 500 °C. The morphology, structure, surface chemical composition, and photocatalytic activity of the obtained TiO2 films were investigated. TiO2 films showed a transparency of ca 80% in the visible spectral region and a band gap of ca 3.4 eV irrespective of the TTIP:AcacH molar ratio in the spray solution. TiO2 films consist of the anatase crystalline phase with a mean crystallite size in the range of 30-40 nm. Self-cleaning properties of the films were estimated using the stearic acid (SA) test. A thin layer of 8.8-mM SA solution was spin-coated onto the TiO2 film. The degradation rate of SA as a function of irradiation time was monitored by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). An increase in the TTIP:AcacH molar ratio from 1:4 to 1:8 resulted in a ten-fold increase in the photodegradation reaction rate constant (from 0.02 to the 0.2 min-1) under ultraviolet light and in a four-fold increase under visible light.
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Photocatalytic Degradation of Different VOCs in the Gas-Phase over TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis. Catalysts 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/catal9110915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we deposited TiO2 thin films onto borosilicate glass by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 350 and 450 °C. The aim of study is to determine the effect of deposition temperature on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films and to investigate the performance of TiO2 thin films on photocatalytic degradation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), acetone, acetaldehyde, and heptane as functions of different operating parameters. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 and 450 °C have a thickness value of 190 and 330 nm, respectively. All as-prepared TiO2 films possess an anatase crystalline structure. According to the X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) study, the TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a higher amount of oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups on the film surface after UV treatment. The aged-TiO2 thin film deposited at 350 °C showed a water contact angle (WCA) value of 0° after 10 min UV irradiation, showing superhydrophilic surface behavior. The TiO2 film deposited at 350 °C exhibited the highest amount of conversion of MTBE (100%). The results also showed that TiO2 films are capable of photocatalytic degradation of MTBE (100%) and acetaldehyde (approx. 80%) in humid air conditions and high airflow rate. The visible-light-activity of TiO2 thin films was tested with 5 ppm MTBE and acetone. TiO2 thin films deposited at 350 °C with a surface area of 600 cm2 showed 60% of MTBE and 33% of acetone degradation under VIS light.
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