Mesoporous titania films investigated by positron annihilation based on a slow positron beam

Tunable mesoporous titania (TiO2) thin films were synthesized via a sol-gel method using an amphiphilic triblock copolymer F38 as the structural template. The dependence of crystalization, pore morphology and interconnectivity of TiO2 films on the weight ratio of F38 was studied by wide-angle X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and Doppler broadening of positron annihilation radiation spectroscopy based on a slow positron beam. By loading more F38, the crystallization of TiO2 films is enhanced, accompanied by a decrement in oxygen vacancies/grain boundaries. Smaller and isolated mesopores are formed in the films prepared with F38 less than 15 wt%. The pore percolation occurs when the weight ratio of F38 is up to 20 wt% and larger and interconnected worm-like pores are formed.