Study of the effect of a silver nanoparticle seeding layer on the crystallisation temperature, photoinduced hydrophylic and catalytic properties of TiO2 thin films deposited on glass by magnetron sputtering

► Silver nanoparticles were deposited on glass by magnetron sputtering. ► 80 nm TiO2 layers were post-deposited in-situ at T° from RT to 288 °C. ► Silver nanoparticles promote anatase crystallisation and do not diffuse to the surface. ► Water contact angle is reduced from 15° (Glass/TiO2) to ≈ 5° (Glass/Ag/TiO2). ► Palmitic acid degradation is improved by one order of magnitude.