SiO2 coated pure and doped titania pigments: low temperature CVD deposition and quantum chemical study

Abstract

We report the in-flight CVD coating with smooth 1–2 nm thick SiO₂ of pure and doped rutile particles via the oxidation of SiCl₄ vapour introduced in the high temperature zone of a purpose built thermal reactor. The effectiveness of the coatings was determined by a combination of electron microscopy, surface analysis and photocatalytic measurements. No excess Cl was detected on the coated pigment particles indicating the complete oxidation of the SiCl₄ precursor. In conjunction with the experimental outcomes of this optimised deposition process, we use first-principles density functional and semi-empirical quantum chemical calculations to examine the underlying electronic processes which determined the morphology and photocatalytic properties of the coated titania. We highlight the presence of low lying valence electronic states which reduce photocatalytic activity, and as a consequence decrease the population of photo-excited titania electrons which transfer to the surrounding matrix. Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicate that the coating process is completed within the order of 10 ps.