Fabrication and characterization of photocatalyst composite coatings of TiO2/TiC-Ti using Ti and TiC powders

- We report the influence of TiC powder on coating formation process by MCT.
- The influence of TiC powder on coating formation process clearly shows 3 stages.
- Heat treatment in carbon powder could increase the visible light absorption.

TiC-Ti coatings were successfully formed on alumina (Al2O3) balls by the mechanical coating technique (MCT) using Ti and TiC powders. The influence of the added amount of TiC powder in MCT on the coating formation of the TiC-Ti coatings was investigated, and the results revealed that Ti powder is easier to coat on Al2O3 balls than TiC powder. The effect of the added amount of TiC powder on the thickness of the TiC-Ti coatings could be considered to be with three stages. After heat treatment in carbon powder for the TiC-Ti coatings, rutile TiO2 formed on the surface of the TiC-Ti coatings to be the photocatalyst composite coatings of TiO2/TiC-Ti. When the added amount of TiC powder was lower than 60%, the relative X-ray diffraction (XRD) intensity of rutile TiO2 peaks obviously became stronger with increasing the added amount of TiC powder. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2/TiC-Ti coatings under visible light irradiation first increased and then decreased with increasing the added amount of TiC powder, and the photocatalytic activity showed highest when the added amount of TiC powder was 60%.