Photoreactive anatase consolidation: UV hardening and surface chemistry of alcohol-modified titanium dioxide films

This study explores changes in anatase surface chemistry and consolidation for TiO2 thin films. The oxide nanoparticles are generated by the sol-gel method, and subsequently altered by diluting the sol with a short-chained aliphatic alcohol. The chemistry and mechanical durability of the resulting films are studied and reported in the following chapters. In the research presented, the method of hardening thin films of TiO2 (anatase), is termed "photoreactive consolidation". In Chapter 1, a summary of the properties of titania is discussed, including the importance of the anatase surface and the role of photocatalysis in titania research. Chapter 2 deals with the development of a spray technique and the parameters for optimal film deposition. Chapter 3 documents the role of humidity and wavelength in the photoreactive consolidation process. Chapter 4 investigates the importance of alcohol selection and shows the development of the surface chemistry with UV exposure. Chapter 5 investigates the surface chemistry further by exploring the changes in formic acid bound to the anatase surface as a function of pH and photocatalytic conditions. A final statement and suggestions for future directions is presented in Chapter 6.