Preparation of SnO2/TiO2 film photoelectrodes by composite electroplating and its photocatalytic activity

Sn/TiO2 thin films were prepared by simultaneous electodeposition of Sn and TiO2 on a Cu substrate from a solution in which TiO2 nanoparticles (P-25) were suspended by stirring. A SnO2/TiO2 film photoelec-trode was generated by the heat treatment in air at 573 K for 2 h. The surface morphology and structure of SnO2/ TiO2 thin film were characterized by using SEM and XRD, and its photocatalytic/photoelectrocatalytic properties were evaluated with methyl orange as a model compound. The results showed that the photoelectrode was a porous film composed of SnO2/TiO2 particles in the size of 0.3-1 μm. And SnO2/TiO2 particles have two kinds of nanocrystalline structure. The photocatalytic activity of SnO2/TiO2 film increased 1.87 times than that of TiO2 film, and its photocatalytic degradation rate was enhanced obviously by imposing external bias potential.