Properties enhancement of TiO2 nanorod thin film using hydrochloric acid etching treatment method

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics Vol. 33; no. 20; pp. 16348 - 16356
• Main Authors: Ahmad Ramli, Shazleen, Mohamad, Fariza, Anizam, A. G. A., Ahmad, M. K., Ahmad, Norazlina, Mohd Ismail, Anis Zafirah, Mohamad Arifin, Nurliyana, Maarof, Nurul Amiera Shahida, Nurhaziqah, A. M. S., Saputri, D. G., Muhd Nor, Nik Hisyamudin, Masanobu, Izaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Charge transfer; Chemistry and Materials Science; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Electrical resistivity; Etching; Field emission microscopy; Fluorine; Hydrochloric acid; Hydrogen chloride; Materials Science; Microscopy; Nanorods; Nanowires; Optical and Electronic Materials; Substrates; Thin films; Tin oxides; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-022-08526-w

The properties of the as-deposited and etched TiO 2 nanorod were characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Four-Point Probe. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanorod was successfully grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using the hydrothermal method. In this study, hydrothermal etching treatment using hydrochloric acid (HCl) is introduced to improve the surface area of TiO 2 nanorod and increase the charge transfer. The effect of HCl concentration in etching treatment is intensively studied. As the concentration of HCl increases, the crystallinity of TiO 2 also increases up to 0.03 M of HCl concentration and decreases onwards. Moreover, the as-deposited TiO 2 nanorods morphology changes to nanowires, then nanocaves after the etching treatment procedure. Eventually, when the concentration of HCl is inordinate, the TiO 2 nanorod becomes eroded. The increment of HCl concentration also influences the root mean square (RMS) roughness, the resistivity, and the sheet resistance of the sample. Based on this study, 0.03 M HCl shows the optimum value, which possessed high crystallinity with low resistivity compared to other parameters. By implying etching treatment on the TiO 2 nanorod, the HCl concentration significantly enhanced the nanorod TiO 2 properties.