Synthesis of silver-decorated titanium dioxide nanostructured films for enhanced visible light photocatalysis

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been extensively investigated for applications in photocatalysis due to its stability, nontoxicity, and robust photocatalytic properties. Although thin films of TiO2 are effective in wastewater treatment, their dense structure limits surface accessibility. The oblique angle deposition (OAD) technique can be used to create high surface area nanostructured thin films essential for photocatalytic applications. In this study, OAD was used to grow TiO2 thin films. To extend the activity to the visible light region, plasma-reduced silver (Ag) particles were coupled to the TiO2 surface. The Ag-decorated TiO2 (Ag-TiO2) nanostructured films were fabricated using a custom-built magnetron sputter deposition system with OAD technique capability. Different substrate angles of 0°, 35°, and 70° with respect to the target normal were used. The films were characterized for their structural, compositional, and optical properties. The photodegradation performance was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as the test analyte under visible light irradiation. The results showed a significant improvement in degradation efficiency using plasma-reduced Ag-TiO2. Substrates tilted at 70° achieved the highest MB degradation efficiency of 89.84% after 5 h exposure. This tilt angle also revealed high surface roughness and high surface area. By tilting the substrate with respect to the target, high surface area thin films can be fabricated. This technique is ideal for applications that depend on the area of contact, such as photocatalysis.