Preparation of highly photocatalytic nanocomposite films consisting of TiO2 particles and Zn electrodeposited on steel

Nanocomposite films (10-15 mu m thick) consisting of TiO2 particles and Zn were formed on steel plates by an occlusion electrodeposition method. Depth profiles of the film compositions were determined by glow discharge optical emission spectrometry; these showed that TiO2 particles were incorporated throughout the film and the loaded amount increased near the surface. The addition of NH4NO3 to the electrodeposition bath above 0.3 g L-1 of the concentration (x) caused almost complete c axis orientation of the Zn crystal followed by a significant increase in the uptake of TiO2. The first-order rate constant (k/h(-1)) for the gas-phase oxidation of CH3CHO was employed as an indicator of the photocatalytic activity. The k value for the sample prepared at x = 0.5 was greater than for the sample at x = 0 by a factor of ca. 2.7. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(99)01-074-3. All rights reserved.