Microstructure, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO₂ Thin Films Prepared by Chelating-Agent Assisted Sol-Gel Method.

Single and multilayer TiO₂ thin films coated on two types of soda-lime glass substrates (microscope slides and cylinders) were prepared by a chelating agent-assisted sol-gel method, using ethyl acetoacetate as a chelating agent, dip-coating and calcination at 500 °C for 2 h in air. Phase composition, microstructural, morphological and optical properties of thin films were comprehensively investigated by using XRF, advanced XRD analysis, Raman and UV-vis spectroscopy and AFM. It was found out that the thickness of thin films increases linearly with increasing number of deposited layers, indicating a good adhesion of the titania solution to a glass substrate as well as to a previously calcined layer.