Synthesis of titania films by combustion flame spray pyrolysis technique and its characterization for photocatalysis

Abstract

The phase composition, texture and roughness of titania films deposited using combustion flame pyrolysis technique are studied as a function of substrate temperature, deposition time and precursor concentration. In this process, a liquid precursor feedstock that results in TiO₂ film is injected into a combustion flame and the film is deposited onto a silica substrate. The resulting film has anatase at low substrate temperature, rutile at high substrate temperature and a mixture of these two phases at intermediate temperatures. A large decrease in the average size of the primary particles that constitute the film is observed with low precursor concentration. The band gap energy of titania films with different phase compositions is measured using UV spectrophotometer. ZnO films are deposited from sprayed droplets of an aqueous zinc acetate solution by using this process and comparison of TiO₂ and ZnO films on the photocatalytic degradation of remazol brilliant blue is investigated.