Transformation of TiN to TiNO Films via In-Situ Temperature-Dependent Oxygen Diffusion Process and Their Electrochemical Behavior
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Titanium oxynitride (TiNO) thin films represent a multifaceted material system applicable in diverse fields, including energy storage, solar cells, sensors, protective coatings, and electrocatalysis. This study reports the synthesis of TiNO thin films grown at different substrate temperatures using pulsed laser deposition. A comprehensive structural investigation was conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Non-Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (N-RBS), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), which facilitated a detailed analysis that determined the phase, composition, and crystallinity of the films. Structural control was achieved via temperature-dependent oxygen in-diffusion, nitrogen out-diffusion, and the nucleation growth process related to adatom mobility. The XPS analysis indicates that the TiNO films consist of heterogeneous mixtures of TiN, TiNO, and TiO2 phases with temperature-dependent relative abundances. The correlation between the structure and electrochemical behavior of the thin films was examined. The TiNO films with relatively higher N/O ratio, meaning less oxidized, were more electrochemically active than the films with lower N/O ratio, i.e., more oxidized films. Films with higher oxidation levels demonstrated enhanced crystallinity and greater stability under electrochemical polarization. These findings demonstrate the importance of substrate temperature control in tailoring the properties of TiNO film, which is a fundamental part of designing and optimizing an efficient electrode material.
Source: Metals
DOI: 10.3390/met15050497
Authors: Sheilah Cherono, Ikenna Chris-Okoro, Mengxin Liu, R. Soyoung Kim, Swapnil Nalawade, Wisdom Akande, Diana Maria Mihai, Johannes Mahl, Christopher Hale, Junko Yano, Shyam Aravamudhan, Ethan Crumlin, Valentin Craciun, Dhananjay Kumar
Institutions: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Horia Hulubei National Institute for R and D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, National Institute for Laser Plasma and Radiation Physics, Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
Awards: G1079818582, G1143651532, Collaborative Research and Education in Advanced Materials (CREAM), G1286236842, G1286251239, G1863003419, G2200082852, G30714459, G3083819904, NNCI: Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC), G4026572567, G410516402, G419881185, G42916606, G4501827968, G498139845, G650090426, G672851605, CENTER FOR ELECTROCHEMICAL DYNAMICS AND REACTIONS ON SURFACES (CEDARS), G7354628648, G8666499804, G969889393
OpenAlex ID: W4409920583