Superhydrophilic TiO{sub 2} surfaces generated by reactive oxygen treatment
- Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN), National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 (Japan)
The authors show that superhydrophilic TiO{sub 2} can be obtained without irradiation of the surface with ultraviolet (UV) light and concomitant excitation of electron-hole pairs. The authors demonstrate that the treatment of TiO{sub 2} surfaces with reactive oxygen species generated by air plasma removes the surface organic contaminants, leading to almost 0 Degree-Sign contact-angle wetting of the surface. The superhydrophilicity can be explained by the positive spreading coefficient calculated using the effective surface tensions. Our results point toward UV-light irradiation as an indirect cause of the superhydrophilicity of TiO{sub 2} and support the hypothesis that this property arises from a self-cleaning effect based on the photo-oxidation and decomposition of organic contaminants at the surface.
- OSTI ID:
- 22098984
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 30, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0734-2101
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Superhydrophilicity of TiO{sub 2} thin films using TiCl{sub 4} as a precursor
Use of cysteine-modified TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst for treatment of combined organic/inorganic wastewaters