BAO Zhenhong ^1，2 JIANG  Weihui ¹ YU Qinxian ³ MIAO Lifeng ¹ TAN Xunyan ¹ YU Pengpeng ¹ YU Yun ²

(1. Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jingdezhen 333001; 2. Key Laboratory of Inorganic Coating Materials, Chinese Academy

of Sciences, Shanghai 200050; 3. Jiangxi Ceramics and Art Institute, Jingdezhen 333001)

Abstract: TiO₂ thin films were prepared via non-hydrolytic sol-gel route using absolute methanol, absolute ethanol and absolute isopropanol respectively as an oxygen donor, TiCl₄ as a precursor, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a film-forming agent.The effect of the oxygen donors on gelation time of TiO₂ sol, microstructures and photocatalysis of TiO2 films were studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), the field emission scanning electron microscopy and the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under ultraviolet irradiation. The results indicate that when the oxygen donor is absolute ethanol, the gelation time of TiO₂ sol is the longest, and the absolute isopropanol has the shortest gel time. 

Keywords: non-hydrolytic sol-gel, oxygen donor alcohol, TiO₂ films, photocatalysis