Optimizing preparation of the TiO2 thin film reactor using the Taguchi method

In this study, titanium dioxide thin film was prepared using the modified chemical vapor deposition. The parameters employed to control the preparation of the catalyst include the temperature of water bath, the Ti(OC3H7)4/H2O ratio, the flow rate of carrier gas, the oxidation temperature, the oxidation time, the calcination temperature, the rotating speed of furnace, and the speed of geared motor. The orthogonal arrays in the design of experimental method proposed by Taguchi were adopted to conduct the multiple-factor experiment. The conversion rate of salicylic acid in the aqueous or heterogeneous phase photocatalysis experiment was employed to identify the optimal conditions for assembly. The results indicated that a higher conversion ratio of the organic substance could be achieved under catalytic oxidation temperature of 400 °C, calcination temperature of 550 °C, and spraying speed of 30 rpm and the optimal experimental conditions obtained in this study were irradiation with intensity of 2.9 mW cm−2 on salicylic acid at concentration of 250 mg L−1 by both agitation and aeration processes (dissolved oxygen level = 8.2 mg O2 L−1) at pH 5, which could achieve optimal hydroxyl radical yield of 5.1 × 10−17 M.