TiO2 thin film for hydrophobic application

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films have been prepared on a glass substrate using the Sol-gel method. Titanium (IV) Isopropoxide (TTIP) (Sigma Aldrich 98%) was used as a precursor, and N-butanol as a solvent at room temperature. The glass substrate was immersed in the prepared sol-gel material for 24 h to obtain a uniform thin layer. Furthermore, the thin film undergoes various treatments like Refrigeration-assisted treatment, Microwave-assisted treatment, and Sonication-assisted treatment to improve the quality of the coating. XRD analysis of the synthesized TiO2 thin film confirms the anatase phase. The strong absorption band observed at ~ 647.98 cm⁻¹ corresponds to Ti–O–Ti stretching vibrations, hence confirming the formation of TiO2. SEM analysis reveals irregular spherical morphology. The contact angle between the substrate and the water droplet has been tested. It shows a left angle at 112.440 and a right angle at 107.460. It shows that the material is hydrophobic. The material has been further employed for fabric coating. This work reveals a novel approach for the cost-effective and scalable synthesis of TiO2 hydrophobic coating and its application in functional fabric coating.