Properties of TiO2 thin films fabricated with surfactant by a sol-gel method

Super hydrophilic and high transparent TiO2 thin films were successfully fabricated by sol-gel method without an irradiation of UV light. In addition, surfactant Tween 80 was used for increasing the transmittance of the thin films. When the contents of Tween 80 in TiO2 solution were 0.0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 wt%, the transmittance of TiO2 thin films was ca. 74.31 %, 74.25 %, 79.69 %, 81.99 % at 550 nm wavelength, respectively. The contact angles of fabricated TiO2 thin films with or without Tween 80 were from ca. 4.0 to 4.5. The TiO2 thin films annealed over 400 degrees C showed anatase crystal structure and the photocatalytic property that decomposed methyl orange with UV irradiation. The surface morphologies, optical properties and contact angle of prepared thin films with different contents of Tween 80 were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffratometer (XRD), UV-Vis spectrophotometer and contact angle meter.