Photo‐Induced Self‐Cleaning and Wettability in TiO ₂ Nanocolumn Arrays Obtained by Glancing‐Angle Deposition with Sputtering

In this work, the preparation of regular nanosized columnar structures titanium dioxide by means glancing angle deposition with magnetron sputtering (MS-GLAD) followed thermal annealing is reported. MS-GLAD gives rise to metallic width and length that after treatment are fully oxidized form TiO2 nanocolumns maintain morphological features original ones. Further functionalization gold multiple ion cluster source results in well-dispersed Au nanoparticles across nanocolumns’ surface a narrow size distribution centered at ca. 8.5 nm. The obtained nanostructures show photocatalytic self-cleaning activity as shown elimination an organic layer deposited on their detection hydroxyl radicals. Photoelectrochemical measurements better charge separation Au/TiO2 interface. addition, wettability studies degree hydrophobicity increased presence nanocolumns, both dark under UV illumination. This behavior not modified surface. open up interesting implications tunability properties nanostructured thin films for kind photo-activated application.