Sol-gel-derived TiO2/poly(dimethylsiloxane) hybrid films and their photocatalytic activities

TiO2/Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) hybrid films with various ratios were prepared on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrates by a sol-gel method. The films were highly transparent (transmittance > 90%), and amorphous TiO2 in the films crystallized in anatase upon treatment at 100 degreesC for 1 h at an atmosphere with relative humidity higher than 60%. They showed good photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of methylene blue and acetaldehyde, though the reactivity exhibited a slightly decreasing trend with the increase of PDMS content. Photodegradation of the PMMA substrate was greatly suppressed by the hybridization, which demonstrates the possibility to apply the films to organic substrates as photocatalysts. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.