QCM Method to Evaluate Photocatalyst Ability of TiO2

In order to evaluate the photocatalytic ability of TiO2 film, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which is a gravitation method, was employed instead of the conventional absorption method. The advanced sol-gel method, which can control thickness to the several tenths of a nanometer level, was applied to the coating on the QCM element. India ink coated on the QCM element was used as the model material for the photo-decomposition. The amount of decomposition during UV light irradiation was detected by the frequency-shift. This method was also tested in application to an organic gas sensor.