Tuning the optical bandgap of TiO2-TiN composite films as photocatalyst in the visible light

TiO2-TiN composite catalysts were prepared by oxidizing the TiN films in air at 350 °C. By adjusting the oxidation time to control the oxidation stage of TiN films, the optical band gap of the TiO2-TiN composites can be varied in a wide range from 1.68 eV to 3.23 eV. These composite films all showed red shift in photo-response towards the visible region, and depending on the optical band gap, some composite films exhibited good catalytic activity in the visible light region. This study provides a simple but effective method to prepare film photocatalyst working in visible light.