A study on photocatalytic activity of micro-arc oxidation TiO2 films and Ag+/MAO-TiO2 composite films

First, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) TiO2 films have been prepared on pure titanium in a phosphate-based electrolyte, and then the Ag+/MAO-TiO2 composite films have been fabricated by Ag+ impregnation in this paper. The microstructure and composition of MAO-TiO2 films and Ag+/MAO-TiO2 composite films have been studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The photocatalytic activity of both films was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution as a model pollutant under sunlight irradiation simulation with homemade ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis). The results showed that the photocatalytic activity of MAO-TiO2 films increased with increasing the applied voltage and concentration in a certain scope. The morphology of Ag+/MAO-TiO2 composite films were of significantly difference and superior photocatalytic activity compared to the MAO-TiO2 film. Also, Ag+ impregnation was able to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of MAO-TiO2 film.