Photocatalytic activity of anatase thin films coated cotton fibers prepared via a microwave assisted liquid phase deposition process

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide thin films in the anatase phase was successfully coated on cotton fibers via a simple microwave (MW) assisted liquid phase deposition (MW-LPD) process with hexafluorotitanate ammonium (NH4)2TiF6 as precursor. Compared with the conventional LPD processes, the MW-LPD technique could provide quickly high yield and crystallinity in a diluted precursor solution at a low temperature. Microwave irradiation penetrated and simultaneously heated the bulk of the material and led to higher heating efficiency with faster processing. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) studies on these powders indicated that the powders obtained with MW irradiation have much higher crystallinity with a single phase anatase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed the information of continuous layers of titania on cotton fibers. UV–vis analyses revealed the coated titania produced an excellent UV protection of the coated fiber. The fibers with anatase coatings showed high photocatalytic property and better repetition on the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB).