Cathodic electrochemical deposition of Magnéli phases TinO2n−1 thin films at different temperatures in acetonitrile solution

• TiOx films were prepared by cathodic electrodeposition in acetonitrile.
• One-step electrodeposition of TiOx films without heat treatment process.
• Different crystalline TinO2n−1 films (γTi3O5, λTi3O5, Ti4O7, Ti5O9) were obtained.

The Magnéli phase titanium oxide films prepared by cathodic electrodeposition on indium–tin-oxide coated glass substrates from saturated peroxo-titanium solution in acetonitrile. Electrodeposited brownish semi-conductor thin films were identified via X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of different potentials and temperatures on the crystallinity of the thin films have been discussed. Ti3O5, Ti4O7 and Ti5O9 as the most favorable forms of the TinO2n−1 were electrodeposited on ITO electrode at electrochemical deposition potentials and different temperatures. The present investigation reveals that the electrochemical deposition of crystalline TinO2n−1 films by a simple one-step electrodeposition method (without any heat treatment) in acetonitrile solution is possible and very promising as a preparation method for electrochemical applications.