Sol-Gel TiO2 thin films sensitized with the mulberry pigment cyanidin

Abstract

TiO2 films have various applications, among them solar cells and photodegradation of pollutants. In this study we investigated TiO2 films functionalized with the organic dye cyanidin extracted from black mulberry (Morus nigra). The TiO2 was functionalized by the sol-gel method and the film was deposited on glass substrates by dip-coating. Our aim was to investigate the interaction between the semiconductor and the dye, as well as the influence of the velocity and number of deposits on the characteristics of the film. Using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, we observed a shift from the maximum absorption band at 545 nm for the dye's ethanol solution to 595 nm for the film, indicating interaction of the cyanidin with the TO2. The absorption spectra in the infrared region of the functionalized TiO2 particles showed bands characteristic of the oxide and indicated their interaction with the dye. Using profilometry and m-line techniques, we found that the films presented thicknesses in the order of 100 nm. A SEM analysis confirmed the high density of the films.