Eur. Phys. J. D 54, 189-193 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2009-00087-7

Antibacterial effect of silver modified TiO₂/PECVD films

¹ Technical University of Liberec, Department of material science, Studentská 2, 46117 Liberec, Czech Republic
² University of South Bohemia, Department of Physics, Jeronýmova 10, 37001 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
³ Fachhochschule Hof, University of Applied Sciences Hof, Alfons-Goppel-Platz 1, 95028 Hof, Germany
⁴ Technical University of Liberec, Department of Chemistry, Studentská 2, 46117 Liberec, Czech Republic
⁵ Charles University in Prague, Department of Macromolecular Physics, V Holešovičkách 2, 18200 Praha, Czech Republic
⁶ Regional Hospital Liberec, Husova, 46001 Liberec, Czech Republic

Corresponding author: ^a pavlina.hajek@seznam.cz

Received: 5 September 2008
Revised: 19 January 2009
Published online: 19 March 2009

Abstract

This paper deals with photocatalytic activity of silver treated TiO₂ films. The TiO₂ films were deposited on glass substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in a vacuum reactor with radio frequency (RF) low temperature plasma discharge in the mixture of oxygen and titanium isopropoxide vapors (TTIP). The depositions were performed under different deposition conditions. Subsequently, the surface of TiO₂ films was modified by deposition of silver nanoparticles. Photocatalytic activity of both silver modified and unmodified TiO₂ films was determined by decomposition of the model organic matter (acid orange 7). Selected TiO₂ samples were used for tests of antibacterial activity. These tests were performed on Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. The results clearly proved that presence of silver clusters resulted in enhancement of the photocatalytic activity, which was up to four times higher than that for pure TiO₂ films.