Physico-Chemical Properties of Spin-Coated Nanostructured TiO2 Thin Films

Abstract

Nanostructured TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films were deposited using the simple, low-cost spin coating method. The compactness, uniformity, and crystallinity of the spin-coated TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films were optimized by depositing successive spin-coating layers. The XRD analysis revealed the formation of the TiO<inf>2</inf> anatase phase. The crystallite size ranged from 20 to 27 nm as the deposition layers increased. The TiO<inf>2</inf> nanoparticles were compact and uniformly distributed over the entire glass substrate. Also, Raman analysis confirmed the formation of anatase TiO<inf>2</inf>. The single emission peak in the photoluminescence spectra of TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films revealed the formation of the pure anatase phase. From the UV–vis spectroscopy, the band gap of TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films was in the range of 3.21–3.30 eV. Overall, the transparent, crack-free, and uniform TiO<inf>2</inf> thin films can be used for energy applications. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.