Reduced Work Function in Anatase ⟨101⟩ TiO2 Films Self-Doped by O-Vacancy-Dependent Ti3+ Bonds Controlling the Photocatalytic Dye Degradation Performance

TiO₂ has the proven capability of catalytically decomposing pollutants under light illumination, thereby embracing potential applications in wastewater management. The photocatalytic dye degradation activity is largely controlled by the optical band gap that dictates the extent of electron-hole pair generation via photon absorption, and the recombination kinetics of charges. In this context, the material's work function governs how easily the charge carriers can be transferred at the dye-adsorbed photocatalytically active sites. Accordingly, nanocrystalline TiO₂ thin films are grown in the anatase phase with ⟨101⟩ orientation, using RF magnetron sputtering at 200 °C. Besides studying the film's structural morphology, optical band gap, and elemental composition, the electronic properties are extensively investigated. The work function of the material was controlled by varying the O-vacancy-dependent Ti³⁺ bonding configuration in the network. It has been demonstrated how the photocatalytic methylene blue dye degradation activity of the nanocrystalline TiO₂ films of predominantly the anatase phase improves on reducing the sputtering pressure during deposition. At a low deposition pressure of 20 mTorr, a low work function of ∼4.2 eV of the film, resulting from the formation of a Ti³⁺-bond through the O vacancies in the network, potentially increases its carrier lifetime and delivers the superior photocatalytic activity (∼82.7% dye degradation with a rate constant of k ∼ 0.0073 min^-1) via silently facilitating fast electron transfer from the photocatalyst to the dye in the aqueous solution. The higher stoichiometric film prepared at p = 40 mTorr exhibits an inferior photocatalytic activity (∼20.4% dye degradation with a rate constant of k ∼ 0.0009 min^-1), as retarded by its higher work function of ∼4.62 eV, despite retaining a relatively low band gap. Thus, without using any heterojunction or extrinsically doped photocatalyst, the dye degradation can be controlled simply by reducing the work function of nanocrystalline TiO₂ thin films via controlling the O-vacancy-dependent Ti³⁺ bonding in its self-doped network.