Elaboration of Amorphous and Crystalline Titanium Dioxide on FTO: its Characterization and Photocatalytic Effect on Orange Methyl

Abstract

In this paper, we report on the preparation of an amorphous and nanocrystalline structure of titanium dioxide, by cathodic electrodeposition on fluorine doped tin dioxide (FTO) coated glass, from an aqueous peroxo-titanium complex solution. Structural X-ray analysis shows anatase phase for heated deposits, and an amorphous form for non-heated deposits. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) allowed investigating the morphological aspect of the deposits which exhibited nano-particulate grain size. AFM results exhibited the different roughness values of both kinds of films. The crystalline deposits have been used as catalysts for the photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange dye, under an irradiation source (UV lamp of 365 nm). The results revealed that the dye has undergone a slight degradation under UV illumination. Using spectrophotometer measurements, the decolourisation rate was estimated from residual concentration.