Influence of HCl Content and Ageing Time on TiO₂ Coating Formation in Acidic Sol-Gel Solutions

Abstract:

Acidic TiO₂ solutions were prepared via sol-gel using hydrochloric acid (HCl) as catalyst for TiO₂ coating deposition. The correlation between the HCl content and ageing time with the stability of the solutions was determined by controlling the content of HCl used (0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.7 ml). The stability was evaluated by observing the pH and physical changes that occurred during 30 days of ageing time. The influence of HCl content on the morphology of TiO₂ thin film is further studied by depositing the films on commercialized unglazed ceramic tiles via dip-coating technique. Results of the ageing experiment showed that the PH of the solutions was stable throughout the ageing period. However, significant physical changes occurred only during the first seven days of the ageing period. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis disclosed that the TiO₂ coatings were distributed unevenly on the substrate surface creating multilayers of coating. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs suggest that the TiO₂ solution prepared using 0.5ml of HCl (pH 1.0 – 1.5) produces better TiO₂ coating performance due to less amount of cracks and more homogeneous coating than other HCl content solutions.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 694)
• Pages: 138-142
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.694.138
• Online since: May 2016
• Authors: Muharniza Azinita Musa*, Jariah Mohd Juoi, M.R. Zulkifli, Norashidah Masrom
• Keywords: Ceramic Substrates, HCl Content, TiO₂ Coating

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