Effect of the Amount of H2O on the Crystallization of TiO2 Films Prepared from Alkoxide Solutions Containing Acetylacetone

Sol–gel‐derived TiO2 films were prepared by dip‐coating from Ti(OC3H7i)4–CH3COCH2COCH3–HNO3–H2O–C2H5OH solutions, and the effect of the H2O content in solutions on the crystallization of TiO2 films during the heat treatment at 800°C was discussed. The crystalline phase, crystallite size, grain size, and refractive index of the TiO2 films depended on the H2O/Ti(OC3H7i)4 mole ratios (x) in the coating solutions. Highly dense and crystalline rutile films were obtained at x = 0.5–10, where the crystallites and grains became larger with increasing x. The further increase in x from 10 to 50 reduced the crystallite size and refractive index of the films, where anatase phase appeared at x = 30–50.