Effect of nitrogen on the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub x}N{sub y} thin films
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama, Toyama 930-8555 (Japan)
Visible light active nitrogen doped titanium oxide (TiO{sub x}N{sub y}) thin films were deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering on glass substrates at different nitrogen flow rates and sputtering pressures. All the deposited films consist of composite of TiO{sub x}N{sub y} and TiO{sub 2} phases of anatase and a small portion of the rutile (R) phase was embedded in the polycrystalline films. X-ray diffraction and optical studies confirmed that the prepared films had nitrogen substituted at some of the oxygen sites in TiO{sub 2}, which formed narrow N 2p band above the valence band. The surface roughness of the films varied between 5 and 25 nm for the films deposited at nitrogen flow of 0.5-5 SCCM (standard cubic centimeter per minute), respectively. The photocatalytic decomposition of methanol was investigated using fourier transform infrared as a function of irradiation time. The formaldehyde and CO species are the main intermediates by increasing the irradiation time in the presence of pure methanol and CO{sub 2} is produced after the complete decomposition. The properties of the films, including the crystallinity, surface morphology, and light absorption capability, are influenced by the nitrogen flow rate while the photocatalytic reaction on TiO{sub x}N{sub y} thin films is very sensitive to oxygen vacancy and its surface structure.
- OSTI ID:
- 20777311
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 24, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1116/1.2174018; (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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