Cost-Effective Sol-Gel Process for TiO2 Film Coating on Glass Substrates: Photocatalytic Activity and Structural Characterization

Abstract

In this research endeavor, we adopted a cost-effective and advantageous method to create TiO2 film using the sol-gel process and a dip-coating technique. This film serves as a groundbreaking example of TiO2 application on specially prepared glass substrates, which were subsequently exposed to sunlight, resulting in a photocatalytic efficiency of approximately 28%. Our investigation primarily revolved around evaluating the photocatalytic performance of pure TiO2 film for Rhodamine-B degradation under natural sunlight conditions. Additionally, this film exhibited a light transmittance of 66% and displayed hydrophilic characteristics, as evidenced by a contact angle of 30°. Moreover, the TiO2 film revealed the presence of an anatase phase, specifically in the 101 HKL crystallographic plane, featuring a crystal size of 28 nm, a film thickness of 243.4 nm, and a band gap energy of 3.37 eV.