Morphology and photocatalytic activity of highly oriented mixed phase titanium dioxide thin films

► Sol-Gel Synthesis of TiO2 thin films on quartz yielded highly oriented anatase. ► The addition of Cu enhances the transformation of anatase to rutile. ► Undoped thin films show the formation of rutile as oriented parallel bands. ► Transition metal dopants segregate in TiO2 thin films and enhance localised isotropic formation of rutile. ► Transition metal doping appears to be detrimental to photocatalytic performance.