Two-Functional Direct Current Sputtered Silver-Containing Titanium Dioxide Thin Films

The article reports on structure, mechanical, optical, photocatalytic and biocidal properties of Ti-Ag-O films. The Ti-Ag-O films were reactively sputter-deposited from a composed Ti/Ag target at different partial pressures of oxygen pO(2) on unheated glass substrate held on floating potential U(fl). It was found that addition of ~2 at.% of Ag into TiO(2) film has no negative influence on UV-induced hydrophilicity of TiO(2) film. Thick (~1,500 nm) TiO(2)/Ag films containing (200) anatase phase exhibit the best hydrophilicity with water droplet contact angle (WDCA) lower than 10° after UV irradiation for 20 min. Thick (~1,500 nm) TiO(2)/Ag films exhibited a better UV-induced hydrophilicity compared to that of thinner (~700 nm) TiO2/Ag films. Further it was found that hydrophilic TiO(2)/Ag films exhibit a strong biocidal effect under both the visible light and the UV irradiation with 100% killing efficiency of Escherichia coli ATCC 10536 after UV irradiation for 20 min. Reported results show that single layer of TiO(2) with Ag distributed in its whole volume exhibits, after UV irradiation, simultaneously two functions: (1) excellent hydrophilicity with WDCA < 10° and (2) strong power to kill E. coli even under visible light due to direct toxicity of Ag.