PREPARATION OF TIO2 (ANATASE) FILMS ON ELECTRODES BY ANODIC OXIDATIVE HYDROLYSIS OF TICL3

Ti(IV) oxide films were deposited on SnO2 (F-doped) and metallic (Pt, Au, Ti) electrodes by anodic oxidative hydrolysis of acidic aqueous TiCl3 Solutions. The films are uniform in thickness, and have the anatase structure after annealing at 450-degrees-C. They show the expected electrochemical and photoelectrochemical activity of semiconducting n-TiO2 (anatase). Thin films supported by a rough polycrystalline anatase electrode were spectrally sensitized to higher wavelengths by adsorption of RuL2(mu-(NC)Ru(CN)(bpy)2)2 (L = 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). The performance of an I-/I2 regenerative photocell based on a thus prepared TiO2 photoanode is considerably improved in comparison with that employing a photoanode unmodified by electrodeposition.