• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1211-1216
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• 1999

TiO2 thin films were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering on glass substrate and subjected into investigation about their hydrophilic properties. Varing Ar/O2 ration and post annealing at 50$0^{\circ}C$ for 12h anatase and rutile phases of TiO2 films were obtained. Hydrophilic properties were evaluated by determination of contact angle of water droplet on TiO2 surface. On as-annealed TiO2 films water droplet spreaded widely with ~0$^{\circ}$contact angle. Sonication(60 Hz, 28kHz 40kHz) and following dark room treatments turned these hydrophilic TiO2 films into hydrophobic state. All of hydrophobic films were converted recersibly into their original state after UV illumination. Hydrophobic states of anatase films were saturated after sonication and remain same during dark room treatment. But it was found that the conversion into hydrophobic state of rutile films progressed. further after sonication. Therefore it was concluded that Ti3+/Ti+4 ratio is the key to determine hydrophilicity of TiO2 surface so that different surface structure of polymorphs could lead to unique characteristics.