Abstract

DIAZ-URIBE, Carlos Enrique; VALLEJO LOZADA, William Andrés  and  MARTINEZ ORTEGA, Fernando. Synthesis and characterization of TiO₂ thin films doped with copper to be used in photocatalysis. Iteckne [online]. 2013, vol.10, n.1, pp.16-20. ISSN 1692-1798.

In this work we studied the influence of incorporation of copper into TiO₂ thin films on structural, optical and surface properties of TiO₂ thin films. The as-grown TiO₂ was synthesized by sol gel method using titanium isopropoxide, and the TiO₂ thin films were deposited by spin coating method. TiO₂ copper-doped (Cu:TiO₂) was synthesized by impregnation method using Cu(NO₃).H₂O as source of Cu(II), the Cu:TiO₂ thin films were deposited by spin coating method. The properties of the compounds obtained were evaluated by measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and diffuse reflectance. The XRD results showed that Cu doping change the crystalline phase radio of the films, XRD pattern of TiO₂ indicated that films grow with anatase structute, while Cu:TiO₂ thin films presented a polycrystalline mixture of anatase/rutile. Reflectance analysis indicated that TiO₂ presents an energy band gap of 3.25 eV and the Cu:TiO₂ presents a shift-red of the band gap to 2,9 eV. The results suggest that doping with copper improved the harvesting of the TiO₂ to visible radiation.

Keywords : TiO₂; Photocatalysis; metal doping; X-Ray; Diffuse Reflectance.

        · text in English     · English ( pdf )