Study of Anatase to Rutile Phase Transition in Nanocrystalline Titania Films

Nanocrystalline titania films were prepared by a complexing agent-assisted sol-gel dip-coating process. The effect of acetylacetone, diethanolamine and polyethylene glycol on the structure of the heat-treated titania films was examined by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effect the complexing agents have on the anatase to rutile phase transition during the heat treatment process is studied. The understanding of this effect is expected to enhance our capacity to tailor the composition and morphology of films and thus their properties. The Raman and the infrared spectra of nanocrystalline titania films and the changes induced by the heat treatment were also investigated. We have also studied the size of the crystallites in TiO₂ films and its dependence on the type of complexing agent used.