The Transfer Direction of Photogenerated Electrons in BaTiO3/TiO2 and CaTiO3/TiO2

BaTiO3/TiO2 and CaTiO3/TiO2 bilayer-type photocatalyst films have been prepared and characterised by X-ray diffraction, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The photodeposition of silver was done to confirm the reduction positions of the titanate/TiO2 films. Silver deposited preferentially on the side of TiO2 for BaTiO3/TiO2 whereas on the side of CaTiO3 for CaTiO3/TiO2. These results imply that the direction of photogenerated electron transfer is coincident with the semiconductor physical principles. Upon exposure to light, electron–hole pairs are generated and subsequently separated by an internal electrostatic field in the titanate–TiO2 heterojunction.