Mechanical, photocatalytic and microbiological properties of titanium dioxide thin films synthesized with the sol–gel and low temperature plasma deposition techniques

Abstract In this work, selected mechanical, photocatalytic and biological properties of thin titanium dioxide films, synthesized with the sol–gel and radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF PECVD) techniques, were compared. In both cases, austenitic stainless steel was used as a substrate, and titanium organic connections served as TiO 2 precursors. Prior to the deposition, several substrates had been surface plasma activated and the film adherence to activated and non-activated surfaces was compared. The TiO 2 films deposited with the RF PECVD technique were characterized by better mechanical properties than those of the sol–gel coatings. The bactericidal activity of the plasma deposited films was also higher. All coatings significantly reduced the formation of bacterial biofilm. In the domain of water photowettability, similar photowetting effects were obtained for the PECVD and sol films. Finally, an important finding concerns the photocatalytic properties of amorphous TiO 2 coatings, synthesized with the RF PECVD technique.