Effect of thermal oxidation temperatures on the phase evolution and photocatalytic property of tungsten-doped TiO2 thin film

Abstract

Abstract Tungsten-doped titanium dioxide (W-TiO2) thin films were successfully prepared on glass substrates by sputtering thermally oxidized W-doped titanium films in air. Tungsten-doped titanium films were deposited using a DC and RF magnetron cosputtering system. The effects of annealing treatment and W content on the W-TiO2 film microstructure were investigated. The crystalline structures, morphological features, and photocatalytic activity of the annealed W-TiO2 films were systematically studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The results indicated that annealing at 550 °C clearly induced the formation of an anatase and rutile phase mixture in the 5.5 at. % W-TiO2 films, which directly affected photocatalytic activity. The W-TiO2 films showed good photocatalytic activity under UV-light irradiation, with a higher rate of methylene blue dye degradation than in the case of undoped TiO2.