Preparation and gaseous photocatalytic activity of smooth potassium dititanate film

A new smooth potassium dititanate film was prepared by sol-gel method. The film was characterized by TG-DSC, XRD, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The photocatalytic decomposition of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) based self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed on K₂Ti₂O₅ films was studied using contact angle analysis. The photoelectrochemical response of the film was determined by electrochemical method. It is shown that the films were smooth, compact, and transparent. Compared with TiO₂ film, the K₂Ti₂O₅ film showed a wide absorption in the ultraviolet and visible region. It is found that the monolayers on K₂Ti₂O₅ are decomposed much faster than those on TiO₂ under UV irradiation of 254 nm in air. The film has a stronger photo-response and more stable anode photocurrent. The observation indicates that the K₂Ti₂O₅ film efficiently decomposes the alkylsiloxane monolayers under UV irradiation in air and it is a good photocatalyst for gaseous organic pollutant treatment.