Methods of obtaining photoactive coatings and/or anatase crystalline phase of titanium oxides and articles made thereby

Abstract

A method of forming a material having a predetermined crystalline phase includes forming a film, forming a material, and heating one of a substrate, the film, or the material to have the material have at least one predetermined crystalline phase. The formed film includes a baddeleyite crystalline phase of zirconium oxide over at least a portion of a substrate surface that will enhance the growth of the predetermined crystal phase defined as a first forming step. The formed material is selected from at least one metal oxide or semiconductor metal oxide on the film defined as a second forming step.

1 . A method of forming a material having a predetermined crystalline phase, comprising the steps of:
 forming a film having a baddeleyite crystalline phase of zirconium oxide over at least a portion of a substrate surface that will enhance the growth of the predetermined crystal phase defined as a first forming step;   forming the material selected from at least one metal oxide or semiconductor metal oxide on the film defined as a second forming step; and   heating at least one of the substrate, the film or the material to have the material have at least one predetermined crystalline phase.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second forming step includes forming a film of material having titanium oxide over the zirconium oxide film, the titanium oxide film having at least one phase selected from anatase or rutile after heating. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second forming steps are accomplished by sputter deposition. 
     
     
         4 . An article made by the method of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         5 . A method of making a photoactive coating, comprising the steps of:
 forming a first coating layer comprising zirconium oxide in baddeleyite crystalline phase over at least a portion of a substrate defined as a first forming step; and   forming a second coating layer comprising titanium oxide over at least a portion of the first coating layer defined as a second forming step to provide a coated substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , including heating at least one of the substrate, the first coating layer, or the second coating layer to make the photoactive coating. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , including heating the substrate prior to or during the first forming step such that the substrate has a temperature greater than or equal to 150° F. (65° C.) at the beginning of the first forming step. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , including heating the substrate such that the substrate has a temperature in the range of 100° F. (38° C.) to 1000° F. (537° C.) during the first forming step. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first coating layer has a thickness greater than or equal to 15 Å. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first coating layer has a thickness less than 500 Å. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , including heating the coated substrate to a temperature greater than or equal to about 400° F. (204° C.). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second coating layer has a thickness greater than or equal to 100 Å. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the photoactive coating is photohydrophilic. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the photoactive coating is photocatalytic. 
     
     
         15 . A coated substrate made by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         16 . An article, comprising:
 a substrate;   a zirconium oxide layer having baddeleyite crystalline phases and having a thickness of 10 Å to 200 Å formed over at least a portion of the substrate; and   a titanium oxide layer formed over the zirconium oxide layer.   
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the zirconium oxide layer has a thickness of 25 Å to 150 Å. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the titanium oxide layer comprises titanium dioxide and has a thickness of 100 Å to 400 Å. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the titanium dioxide layer has at least one phase of anatase, rutile, or amorphous phase. 
     
     
         20 . An article, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first layer deposited over at least a portion of the substrate and comprising zirconium oxide in a baddeleyite crystalline phase; and   a second layer deposited over the first layer and comprising at least one photoactive material.   
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 20 , wherein the first layer has a thickness of 10 Å to 200 Å. 
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 20 , wherein the photoactive material includes titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein the second layer has a thickness of 100 Å to 400 Å. 
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 22 , wherein the titanium dioxide has at least one phase of anatase, rutile, or amorphous phase(s). 
     
     
         25 . A method of coating a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, comprising the steps of:
 depositing a zirconium oxide layer having a baddeleyite crystalline phase over at least a portion of the first surface;   forming a photoactive coating comprising a titanium oxide layer on the zirconium oxide layer over at least a portion of the first surface defined as a first forming step; and   forming a functional coating over at least a portion of the second surface defined as a second forming step.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second forming steps are conducted in the same coater.