Cathodic electrochemical deposition of Magneli phases TinO2n-1 thin films at different temperatures in acetonitrile solution

The Magneli phase titanium oxide films prepared by cathodic electrodeposition on indium-tin-oxide coated glass substrates from saturated peroxo-titanium solution in acetonitrile. Electrodeposited brownish semi-conductor thin films were identified via X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of different potentials and temperatures on the crystallinity of the thin films have been discussed. Ti3O5, Ti4O7 and Ti5O9 as the most favorable forms of the Ti(n)O2(n-1) were electrodeposited on ITO electrode at electrochemical deposition potentials and different temperatures. The present investigation reveals that the electrochemical deposition of crystalline Ti(n)O2(n-1) films by a simple one-step electrodeposition method (without any heat treatment) in acetonitrile solution is possible and very promising as a preparation method for electrochemical applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.