Effect of the heating rate on crystallization and densification of TiO2 films prepared from alkoxide solutions containing various organic additives

ABSTRACT The effect of the heating rate on crystallization and densification of sol–gel-derived TiO2 films has been investigated. The TiO2 gel films were prepared from Ti(OC3H7 i )4 solutions containing alcohols (2-butanol and 2-methoxyethanol), glycols (propylene glycol, diethylene glycol and dipropylene glycol) and chelating agents (acetylacetone and benzoylacetone) as organic additives, followed by heat treatment to 800°C at various heating rates. In the cases without organic additives and with alcohols, anatase films were obtained irrespective of the heating rate, where the refractive indexes of the films were higher for slower heating rate. Conversely, for the films prepared with glycols and chelating agents, rapid heating activated crystallization and densification. In particular, addition of chelating agents led to the formation of rutile films with much higher refractive indexes than those of the anatase films.