Atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition of VO2 and VO2/TiO2 films from the reaction of VOCl3, TiCl4 and water

Abstract

Vanadium dioxide films were deposited on glass from the APCVD reaction of VOCl₃ and water at 650 °C. Introduction of a second precursor TiCl₄ affected the growth morphology of the VO₂ films but did not incorporate any detectable titanium. The films were characterised by XPS, XRD, Raman, EDAX and SEM. Interestingly the VO₂ films formed in the presence of TiCl₄ showed a reduction in the thermochromic switching temperature from 69 °C in bulk VO₂ to 49 °C. APCVD of TiCl₄/VOCl₃ at a substrate temperature of 600 and 550 °C afforded composite TiO₂/VO₂ films. These films exhibited photoinduced hydrophilicity, photocatalysis and a thermochromic switching temperature of 51 °C.