FABRICATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CeO2-TiO2 THIN FILM ELECTRODES
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsMuhammad Ali EHSAN, Abdul REHMAN
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Abstract
A simple, one-step method for producing a homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite thin film using aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) of a solution containing triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate at a temperature ranging from about 500 to about 650° C. Methods for using the film produced by this method.
Claims20
1:
- A method for making a homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite film, comprising:
- forming the CeO2—TiO2 composite film on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate by chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) using a solution which comprises metal trifluoroacetates of cerium and titanium at a temperature ranging from about 500 to about 650° C.;
- wherein the CeO2—TiO2 composite film comprises mesoporous or smooth microspheres comprising CeO2 and/or TiO2 having an average diameter ranging from about 0.8 to 2.0 μm.
The method of claim 1, wherein the metal trifluoroacetates are made by reacting triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) with trifluoroacetic acid.
The method of claim 1, wherein the metal trifluoroacetates are made by reacting triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) with trifluoroacetic acid in methanol.
The method of claim 1, wherein the homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite film is formed by reacting a homogenous mixture of the metal trifluoroacetates on the surface of the fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate.
The method of claim 1, wherein said depositing by CVD comprises aerosol-assisted CVD (AACVD) of a homogenous mixture of the metal trifluoroacetates in air on to the fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate as a single depositing step.
The method of claim 1, wherein said depositing by CVD comprises aerosol-assisted CVD (AACVD) of a homogenous mixture of the metal trifluoroacetates in air on to the fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate as a single depositing step and without a further dispersion, coating or heating step.
7:
- The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical vapor deposition is aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (“AACVD”) and wherein the solution is a methanol solution which comprises metal trifluoroacetates made by reacting trifluoroacetic acid with triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) in a molar ratio of Ce:Ti of about 1.2:1 to 1:1.2
The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical vapor deposition is aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (“AACVD”) and wherein the solution is a methanol solution which comprises metal trifluoroacetates made by reacting trifluoroacetic acid with triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) in a molar ratio of Ce:Ti of about 1:1.
The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature ranges from about 540 to 560° C. and wherein the film comprises the mesoporous microspheres having a pore size ranging from about 10-28 nm.
The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature ranges from about 590 to 610° C. and wherein the film comprises smooth microspheres with a substantially non-porous texture.
A homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite thin film comprising uniformly dispersed crystalline CeO2 and TiO2 phases and further comprising mesoporous or smooth microspheres comprising CeO2 and/or TiO2 having an average diameter ranging from about 0.8 to 2.0 μm, wherein said thin film has a thickness of no more than 100 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.