TITLE:
Cr-Doped TiO2 Thin Films Prepared by Means of a Magnetron Co-Sputtering Process: Photocatalytic Application
AUTHORS:
Anouar Hajjaji, Atef Atyaoui, Khaled Trabelsi, Mosbah Amlouk, Latifa Bousselmi, Brahim Bessais, My Ali El Khakani, Mounir Gaidi
KEYWORDS:
TiO2, Cr-Doped TiO2, Photocatalysis, Opto-Electronic
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Analytical Chemistry,
Vol.5 No.8,
June
5,
2014
ABSTRACT: This paper deals with the effect of Cr content on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 thin films deposited on quartz and intrinsic silicon substrates by using the RF magnetron co-sputtering process. Some physical investigations on such sputtered films were made by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy as well as UV-Vis-IR absorption techniques. The heat treatment under oxygen atmosphere at 550°C reveals that the crystalline structure of TiO2: Cr depends on Cr content. Anatase-to-rutile phase transformation occurs at a Cr content of about 7%. On the other hand, the band gap energy value of annealed TiO2: Cr films varies in terms of Cr doping and a transition around 7% of Cr is accrued. The photocatalytic activity of undoped and doped TiO2 films was evaluated by photo-degrading of the amido black under UV light irradiation. Modification of the chemical structure of titanium dioxide by Cr doping allows moving the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide towards visible light. The results indicate that films doped with 2% Cr exhibit the highest UV and visible light photocatalytic activity.