Low-Temperature Mineralisation of Titania-Siloxane Composite Layers

Abstract

This paper deals with low-temperature mineralisation of coatings made with titania-siloxane compositions (TSC). Methyltriethoxysilane has been adopted as the precursor for the siloxane, and during its synthesis, an oligomeric siloxane condensate with methyl moieties acting as TiO2 binder has been produced. These methyl moieties, contained in TSC, provide solubility and prevent gelling, but reduce the hydrophilicity of the system, reduce the transfer of electrons and holes generated in the TiO2. In order to avoid these unfavourable effects, TSC mineralisation can be achieved by nonthermal treatment, for example, by using UV-radiation or plasma treatment. Characterisation of the siloxane was performed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), which showed the size of the siloxane chain. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed a temperature at which the siloxane mineralises to SiO2. Printed layers of two types of TSC with different siloxane contents were studied by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), where a difference in the porosity of the samples was observed. TSC on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass and microscopic glass were treated with non-thermal UV and plasma methods. TSC on FTO glass were tested by voltammetric measurements, which showed that the non-thermally treated layers have better properties and the amount of siloxane in the TSC has a great influence on their efficiency. Samples on microscopic glass were subjected to a photocatalytic decomposition test of the model pollutant Acid orange 7 (AO7). Non-thermally treated samples show higher photocatalytic activity than the raw sample.