Fabrication and Photocatalytic Activity of TiO₂/MoO₃ Particulate Films

Abstract

TiO₂ and TiO₂/MoO₃ particulate films were successfully prepared using a Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The as-deposited films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results indicate that the TiO₂ and TiO₂/MoO₃ films are composed of separate layers of TiO₂ and MoO₃ particles. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the films was evaluated from the decomposition of a stearic acid film under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. It was found that photocatalytic activity is significantly enhanced by the layer structure of the TiO₂/MoO₃ film, compared to the single layer TiO₂ film.