Photocatalytic activity of pulsed laser deposited TiO2 thin films in N2, O2 and CH4

We report on pulsed laser deposition of TiO2 films on glass substrates in oxygen, methane, nitrogen and mixture of oxygen and nitrogen atmosphere. The nitrogen incorporation into TiO2 lattice was successfully achieved, as demonstrated by optical absorption and XPS measurements. The absorption edge of the N-doped TiO2 films was red-shifted up to ∼ 480 nm from 360 nm in case of undoped ones.The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films was investigated during toxic Cr(VI) ions photoreduction to Cr(III) state in aqueous media under irradiation with visible and UV light. Under visible light irradiation, TiO2 films deposited in nitrogen atmosphere showed the highest photocatalytic activity, whereas by UV light exposure the best results were obtained for the TiO2 structures deposited in pure methane and oxygen atmosphere.