Study of the preparation and properties of UV‐blocking fabrics of a PET/TiO2 nanocomposite prepared by in situ polycondensation

Poly(ethylene phthalate) (PET)/nano‐TiO₂ composites prepared via in situ polymerization were spun into fiber by the melt‐spinning process. The dispersion of nanosized rutile TiO₂ in the PET was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. The mechanical properties and the properties of ultraviolet (UV) protection were investigated. The results showed that rutile TiO₂ can be dispersed uniformly by the in situ polycondensation process. The mechanical properties of PET/TiO₂ fiber were slightly affected by adding nano‐TiO₂. The UV‐ray transmittance of PET/nano‐TiO₂ fabrics was below 10% in the UV‐A band and below 1% in the UV‐B band. And the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of PET/nano‐TiO₂ fabrics was greater than 50. All these PET/TiO₂ nanocomposite fabrics exhibited excellent UV‐blocking properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1588–1593, 2006     

Atomic layer deposition TiO2/Al2O3 nanolayer of dyed polyamide/aramid blend fabric for high intensity UV light protection

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation can cause a severe damage to textiles, such as color fading, polymer degradation, and mechanical strength decrease. The aim of this study was to deposit inorganic UV blocking agents onto polyamide/aramid dyed fabric using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to produce functional fabrics that are resistant to high intensity UV light. Scanning electron microscopy (coupled to energy‐dispersive spectroscopy), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry studies demonstrated that TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and TiO₂/Al₂O₃ nanolayer could be successfully deposited onto the fiber surface. The dyed fabrics with different ALD coatings showed excellent high intensity UV resistance and were also more resistant to high intensity UV‐induced mechanical strength damage. These results suggested that the ALD technology could be effective technique to improve the properties of dyed fabrics. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1296–1302, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Multifunctional properties of polyester fabrics modified by corona discharge/air RF plasma and colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles

In this study the possibility of tailoring the textile nanocomposite materials based on the polyester fabric and TiO₂ nanoparticles that can simultaneously provide desirable level of antibacterial activity, UV protection, and self‐cleaning effects with long‐term durability was investigated. To enhance the binding efficiency of colloidal TiO₂ nanoparticles, the surface of polyester fabrics was activated by low‐pressure RF air plasma, and corona discharge at atmospheric pressure. Obtained functionalized textile materials provided maximum antibacterial efficiency against gram‐negative bacterium E. coli. High values of UV protection factor (UPF) indicate the maximum UV blocking efficiency (50+) of these fabrics. The results of self‐cleaning test with blueberry juice stains and photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution confirmed excellent photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ nanoparticles deposited on the fiber surface. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Durable UV-protective cotton fabric by deposition of multilayer TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles films on the surface

Durable ultraviolet (UV)-protective cotton fabric has great application potential in outdoor cotton clothing. In this study, oppositely charged TiO₂ nanoparticles were deposited onto cotton fabric through the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, resulting in multilayer films with UV-protective properties. The mechanism of the technology has been investigated through characterization of the structure and properties using different techniques including FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and a scanning electron microscope with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum. The results showed that TiO₂ nanoparticles distributed uniformly on the surface of cotton fibers. The TGA results indicated that the TiO₂ nanoparticles deposit on cotton fabrics had little effect on the thermal stability of cotton fabrics. The tensile strength and air permeability of the cotton samples were tested by a universal material testing machine and automatic ventilation instrument. The UV protection property of cotton fabric after assembled multilayer films was measured by an ultraviolet transmittance analyzer, and the laundering experiments were carried out to determine the durability of TiO₂ nanoparticles on cotton fabric. The results showed that the UV protection property of cotton fabrics after assembled TiO₂ nanoparticles was still maintained at a high level after five launderings.     

The effect of TiO2 nanopigment on the optical properties of polyester fabric in UV–VIS–NIR regions

The particle size parameter is a key factor that affects radiative properties of nanopigments, and consequently, pigments of the same type but different sizes represent different spectral performance. Therefore, current study dealt with a systematic experimental investigation on the effect of TiO₂ pigmented coatings on spectral reflectance and color performance of white and colored polyester fabrics in UV, VIS, and NIR region of electromagnetic spectrum, with a special emphasis on VIS region. In order to accomplish this target, polyester fabrics were coated with TiO₂ nanopigment with various concentrations and different diameters, and their reflectance spectra were measured using spectrophotometric method. Two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to investigate the significance of the effect of TiO₂ nanopigment on the color performance of coated fabrics. According to experimental observations, an organized color shift appears in color coordinate of fabrics coated with TiO₂ nanopigment of various sizes. Moreover, although TiO₂ nanopigment with 35 nm diameter has the most significant impact on short wavelength region (UV region), the effect of pigment with 250 nm diameter is more noticeable on NIR region as long wavelength region.     

Morphological and thermal properties of photodegradable biocomposite films

Biocomposites containing ultraviolet (UV) radiation absorbing inorganic nanofillers are of great interest in food packaging applications. The biodegradable polylactide (PLA) composite films were prepared by solvent casting method by incorporating 1 wt % of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and Ag‐TiO₂ (silver nanoparticles decorated TiO₂) nanoparticles to impart the photodegradable properties. The films were exposed to UV radiation for different time periods and morphology of the composite films before and after UV exposure were investigated. The results showed that homogenous filler distribution was achieved in the case of Ag‐TiO₂ nanoparticles. The thermal properties and thermomechanical stability of the composite film containing Ag‐TiO₂ nanoparticles were found to be much higher than those of neat PLA and PLA/TiO₂ composite films. The scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction studies revealed that the photodegradability of PLA matrix was significantly improved in the presence of Ag‐TiO₂ nanoparticles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Synthesis,physical properties,and characterization of starch‐based blend films by adding nano‐sized TiO2/poly(methyl metacrylate‐co‐acrylamide)

The purpose of this study was to improve the physical properties and to expand the application range of starch‐based blend films added nano‐sized TiO₂/poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐acrylamide) (PMMA‐co‐AM). Starch‐based blend films were prepared by using corn starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), nano‐sized PMMA‐co‐AM, nano‐sized TiO₂/PMMA‐co‐AM particles, and additives, i.e., glycerol (GL) and citric acid (CA). Nano‐sized PMMA‐co‐AM was synthesized by emulsion polymerization and TiO₂ nanoparticles were also prepared by using sol–gel method. Nano‐sized TiO₂/PMMA‐co‐AM particles were synthesized by wet milling for 48 h. The morphology and crystallinity of TiO₂, nano‐sized PMMA‐co‐AM and TiO₂/PMMA‐co‐AM particles were investigated by using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X‐ray diffractometer (XRD). In addition, the functional groups of the TiO₂/PMMA‐co‐AM particles were characterized by IR spectrophotometry (FTIR). The physical properties such as tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (%E), degree of swelling (DS), and solubility (S) of starch‐based films were evaluated. It was found that the adding of nano‐sized particles can greatly improve the physical properties of the prepared films. The photocatalytic degradability of starch/PVA/nano‐sized TiO₂/PMMA‐co‐AM composite films was evaluated using methylene blue (MB) and acetaldehyde (ATA) as photodegradation target under UV and visible light. The degree of decomposition (C/C₀) of MB and ATA for the films containing TiO₂ and CA was 0.506 and 0.088 under UV light irradiation and 0.586 (MB) and 0.631 (ATA) under visible light irradiation, respectively. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Photoactivity of Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites modulated by TiO2 nanofillers

Photoactivity of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanocomposites is of great interest for rational design of products for either short‐term/single‐use or long‐term/durable applications. We prepared PLA/TiO₂ nanocomposite films through a solution mixing/film casting method. Results showed that photodegradability/photostability of PLA could be well modulated by selecting appropriate TiO₂ nanofillers. TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanowires were characterized using X‐ray diffraction, UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer, and scanning electron microscopy. Changes in color, weight, structure, thermal stability, and phase transitions of PLA and nanocomposite films before and after UV irradiation were evaluated to study photoactivity characteristics. Pure PLA exhibited moderate photodegradability, but the photodegradability and photostability of PLA nanocomposites (PNA) were significantly enhanced by NanoActive (NA) TiO₂ nanoparticles and A type TiO₂ nanowires, respectively. Pure PLA had a weight loss of 27% after 38 days of UV irradiation. The weight loss of photodegradable (PD) PNA (PNA = PLA with 1% NA TiO₂) reached 38%, whereas that of photostable (PS) nanocomposites (P3AW) (P3AW = PLA with 3% A type TiO₂ nanowire) was only 5%. PD PLA exhibited characteristic peaks of carboxylic acid OH stretching and C?C double bond after UV irradiation in Fourier‐transform infrared spectra, whereas spectra of PS PLA remained almost the same. Thermal decomposition temperatures, glass transition temperatures, and melting temperatures of PD PLAs decreased dramatically after UV irradiation, but no obvious changes were observed for those of PS PLAs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40241.     

Microstructure development of hydrothermally grown TiO2 thin films with vertically aligned nanorods

TiO₂ (rutile) thin films were deposited via a hydrothermal process by adjusting the amount of ethanol, deposition time, and temperature. Especially, various amounts of ethanol generated different degrees of supersaturation in precursor solution. It allowed us to systematically change the width, lengths, and crystallinity of a vertically aligned 1‐D nanorod structure of TiO₂ films. The oriented attachment, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, was shown to be responsible for their lateral growth of TiO₂ nanorods bundled by numerous well‐oriented nanowires and their vertical growth. TiO₂ nanorod thin films were also characterized via X‐ray diffraction and UV‐Vis‐NIR spectrophotometer to find a correlation between the process conditions and nanostructural evolution. Dye sensitized solar cells were assembled to relate the nanostructures of TiO₂ films with the effectiveness of its role as a photoelectrode.     

Microwave photocatalysis III. Transition metal ion‐doped TiO2 thin films on mercury electrodeless discharge lamps: preparation,characterization and their effect on the photocatalytic degradation of mono‐chloroacetic acid and Rhodamine B

BACKGROUND: Mercury electrodeless discharge lamps (Hg‐EDLs) were used to generate UV radiation when exposed to a microwave field. EDLs were coated with doped TiO₂ in the form of thin films containing transition metal ions Mⁿ⁺ (M = Fe, Co, Ni, V, Cr, Mn, Zr, Ag). Photocatalytic degradation of mono‐chloroacetic acid (MCAA) to HCl, CO₂, and H₂O, and decomposition of Rhodamine B on the thin films were investigated in detail. RESULTS: Polycrystalline thin doped TiO₂ films were prepared by dip‐coating of EDL via a sol–gel method using titanium n‐butoxide, acetylacetone, and a transition metal acetylacetonate. The films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron microprobe analysis and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The photocatalytic activity of doped TiO₂ films was monitored in the decomposition of Rhodamine B in water. Compared with the pure TiO₂ film, the UV/Vis spectra of V, Zr and Ag‐doped TiO₂ showed significant absorption in the visible region, and hence the photocatalytic degradation of MCAA had increased. The best apparent degradation rate constant (0.0125 min^?1), which was higher than that on the pure TiO₂ film by a factor of 1.7, was obtained with the Ag(3%)/TiO₂ photocatalyst. The effect of doping level of vanadium acetylacetonate on the photocatalytic efficiency of the V‐doped TiO₂ was determined. CONCLUSIONS: Transition metal ion‐doped TiO₂ thin films showed significant absorption in the visible region. The metal doped TiO₂ photocatalyst (with an appropriate amount of V, Zr and Ag) on the Hg‐EDLs increased the degradation efficiency of MCAA in a microwave field. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Niobium‐Doped Titania Photocatalyst Film Prepared via a Nonaqueous Sol‐Gel Method

Niobium‐doped Titanium dioxide (Nb:TiO₂) transparent films were successfully deposited on glass substrates using a non‐aqueous sol‐gel spin coating technique. The effect of Nb concentration on the structural and photocatalytic properties of Nb:TiO₂ films was studied using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV visible spectroscopy. The films with 12 at.% (atomic percent) Nb doped TiO₂ showed excellent photocatalytic activity through 97.3% degradation of methylene blue (MB) after 2 h of UV irradiation.     

Employment of ultrasonic waves for the preparation of PVA/TiO2‐BSA nanocomposites: Mechanical,thermal, and optical properties

The goal of this project is to obtain poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/TiO₂‐bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanocomposite (NC) films in different weight percentages of modified TiO₂. For this purpose, to prevent the accumulation of nanoparticles (NPs) in the PVA matrix, the surface of the TiO₂ NPs was treated with the BSA molecules. To achieve this aim, ultrasonic waves were used as an environmentally friendly and green process that decrease the time of reactions, help better spreading of TiO₂ NPs and maintain dimensions of TiO₂ NPs in the nanoscale range. In the end, the features of the PVA/TiO₂‐BSA NC films were considered with a variety of techniques. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray, and X‐ray diffraction showed that the BSA was well placed on the surface of TiO₂ NPs. The thermal gravimetric analysis and UV‐visible results demonstrated that all the PVA/TiO₂‐BSA NC films have better thermal and optical properties than the pure PVA. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46558.     

The influence of anatase-rutile mixed phase and ZnO blocking layer on dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO2nanofiberphotoanodes

High performance is expected in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that utilize one-dimensional (1-D) TiO₂ nanostructures owing to the effective electron transport. However, due to the low dye adsorption, mainly because of their smooth surfaces, 1-D TiO₂ DSSCs show relatively lower efficiencies than nanoparticle-based ones. Herein, we demonstrate a very simple approach using thick TiO₂ electrospun nanofiber films as photoanodes to obtain high conversion efficiency. To improve the performance of the DSCCs, anatase-rutile mixed-phase TiO₂ nanofibers are achieved by increasing sintering temperature above 500°C, and very thin ZnO films are deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) method as blocking layers. With approximately 40-μm-thick mixed-phase (approximately 15.6?wt.% rutile) TiO₂ nanofiber as photoanode and 15-nm-thick compact ZnO film as a blocking layer in DSSC, the photoelectric conversion efficiency and short-circuit current are measured as 8.01% and 17.3?mA?cm^?2, respectively. Intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy measurements reveal that extremely large electron diffusion length is the key point to support the usage of thick TiO₂ nanofibers as photoanodes with very thin ZnO blocking layers to obtain high photocurrents and high conversion efficiencies.     

Compatibilization and ultraviolet blocking of PLA/PCL blends via interfacial localization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

In this work, the effect of TiO₂ addition over morphological and ultraviolet (UV) blocking properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) blends was investigated. The micrographs showed a partially co‐continuous structure in the PLA/PCL blend with 42/58 (wt %/wt %) and the TiO₂ nanoparticles addition leads to a structural phase inversion, i.e., continuous PCL and partially continuous PLA with a dispersed portion. TiO₂ nanoparticles were observed to be preferably localized at the interface of the two phases due to kinetic effects (large difference between the melting temperatures) and nanoparticle geometry (low aspect ratios). An adhesion improvement between the phases and morphological stability were observed with the addition of TiO₂ nanoparticles. This behavior indicates that the nanoparticles can act as compatibilizers due to their localization at the interface between the two phases. The UV light absorption and transmission percolation threshold occurred with 1.5% TiO₂ in the 42PLA/52PCL blend. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45813.     

Thermal stability of HCl‐doped‐polyaniline and TiO2 nanoparticles‐based nanocomposites

Electrically conductive HCl doped polyaniline (Pani) : titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanocomposites thin films were prepared by in‐situ oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of different amounts of TiO₂ nanoparticles. Later film casting was done using N‐Methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) as a solvent. The formation of Pani : TiO₂ nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier Transform Infra‐Red spectroscopy (FTIR), x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The stability of the nanocomposites in terms of direct‐current electrical conductivity retention was studied in air by isothermal and cyclic techniques. The films of Pani : TiO₂ nanocomposites were observed thermally more stable under ambient environmental conditions than pure polyaniline film. The stability was seen to be highly dependent on the content of TiO₂ nanoparticles in the nanocomposite films. Due to their high stability, such type of nanocomposites can find place as a replacement material for pure polyaniline in electrical and electronic devices. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Physical properties of crosslinked cellulose catalyzed with nano titanium dioxide

Four different carboxylic acids, 1,2,3,4‐butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), maleic acid (MA), succinic acid (SUA), and citric acid (CA), were used as crosslinking agents to treat cotton fabrics in the presence of nanometer titanium dioxide (TiO₂) as a catalyst under UV irradiation. The dry crease recovery angle (DCRA) and wet crease recovery angle (WCRA) values of the treated fabrics were ranked BTCA > MA > CA > SUA and the tensile strength retention (TSR) values were ranked BTCA < MA < CA < SUA at a given resin concentration, catalyst concentration, and irradiation time period. The physical properties of the treated fabrics for nanometer silver/nanometer titanium dioxide (Ag/TiO₂) catalyst showed the same tendency. At a given DCRA, the WCRA values were ranked in the order BTCA ≒ MA > CA ≒ SUA; and at a given value of the TSR, the WCRA and DCRA values were both ranked in the order BTCA > MA > CA > SUA. The softness values of the carboxylic acid treated fabrics in the presence of nanometer TiO₂ catalyst were all better than that of the untreated fabric. Surface deposition of the treated fabrics for BTCA, which contains one vinyl double bond and four carboxylic acid groups, was higher than that for CA, which contains no vinyl double bond. IR spectra and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis survey spectra showed the ester bond crosslink between the cellulose molecule and the various acids used in this study. The values of DCRA, WCRA, and add‐on of the CA crosslinked fabrics for the mixed catalysts were in the order ZrO₂/TiO₂ < SiO₂/TiO₂ < Ag/TiO₂. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 2450–2456, 2005     

Efficient preparation of hybrid nanocomposite coatings based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and silane coupling agent modified TiO2 nanoparticles

In the present investigation, at first, the surface of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles was modified with γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a coupling agent. Then a new kind of poly(vinyl alcohol)/titanium dioxide (PVA/TiO₂) nanocomposites coating with different modified TiO₂ loading were prepared under ultrasonic irradiation process. Finally, these nanocomposites coating were used for fabrication of PVA/TiO₂ films via solution casting method. The resulting nanocomposites were fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/derivative thermal gravimetric (TGA/DTG), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The TEM and SEM results indicated that the surface modified nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously in PVA matrix on nanoscale and based on obtained results a possible mechanism was proposed for ultrasonic induced nanocomposite fabrication. TGA confirmed that the heat stability of the nanocomposite was improved. UV–vis spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the absorbance and transmittance behavior of the PVA/TiO₂ nanocomposite films in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm. The results showed that this type of films could be used as a coating to shield against UV light.     

Visible light photocatalytic activity of TiO2/heat‐treated PVC film

BACKGROUND: Semiconductor TiO₂ has been investigated extensively due to its chemical stability, nontoxicity and inexpensiveness. However, the wide band gap of anatase TiO₂ (about 3.2 eV) only allows it to absorb UV light. TiO₂ nanoparticles modified by conditional conjugated polymers show excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light. However, these conjugated polymers are not only expensive, but also difficult to process. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was heat‐treated at high temperature to remove HCl and a C?C conjugated chain structure was obtained. When TiO₂ nanoparticles were dispersed into the conjugated polymer film derived from PVC, this composites film exhibited high visible light photocatalytic activity. RESULTS: The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂/heat‐treated PVC (HTPVC) film was investigated by degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. The photodegradation of RhB follows apparent first‐order kinetics. The rate constants of RhB photodegradation in the presence of the TiO₂/HTPVC films with different mass content of TiO₂ are 16–56 and 4–14 times that obtained in the presence of the pure HTPVC and TiO₂/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) composite film, respectively. The TiO₂/HTPVC film showed excellent photocatalytic activity and stability after 10 cycles under visible light irradiation. CONCLUSION: TiO₂/HTPVC film exhibits high visible light photocatalytic activity and stability. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Study of film formation from PS latex/TiO2 nanocomposites; Effect of latex size and TiO2 content

In this work, we investigated the film formation from polystyrene (PS) latex/TiO₂ nanocomposites using the steady state fluorescence (SSF) and UV–vis (UVV) techniques depending on PS particle size and TiO₂ content. The structural properties of films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The films were prepared from pyrene (P)‐labeled PS particles (SmPS:203 nm; LgPS:382 nm) by covering them with different layers of TiO₂ by dip‐coating method and then annealed at elevated temperatures. Two film series (SmPS/TiO₂ and LgPS/TiO₂) were prepared and seven different films were studied in various TiO₂ contents for each series. Scattered (I_sc), fluorescence (I_P), and transmitted (I_tr) light intensities were measured after each annealing step to monitor the stages of film formation. Results showed that, SmPS/TiO₂ films undergo complete film formation independent of TiO₂ content. However, no film formation occurs above a certain TiO₂ content in LgPS/TiO₂ films. SEM images showed that SmPS/TiO₂ films have highly well‐ordered microporous structures with increasing TiO₂ content after extraction of PS polymer whereas LgPS/TiO2 composites show no porous structure for high TiO₂ content. Our experiments also showed that porous TiO₂ films with different sizes could be successfully prepared using this technique. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:2376–2389, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Enhanced photoresponse and photocatalytic activities of graphene quantum dots sensitized Ag/TiO2 thin film

TiO₂ thin films were fabricated through hydrothermal method. Silver nanoparticles were loaded on TiO₂ thin films via photoreduction technique. Subsequently, the graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were spin‐coated on the Ag/TiO₂ nanocomposites thin films. The crystal structure, surface morphology and UV‐vis absorbance were tested by XRD, SEM and ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometer. These results indicated that Ag nanoparticles and GQDs are anchored on the TiO₂ nanorods. Absorbance of Ag/TiO₂ and GQDs/Ag/TiO₂ nanocomposite thin films have been extended into the visible region. Visible‐light response of the samples were investigated by electrochemical workstation. The photoresponse of the sample can be enhanced by sensitization of the Ag nanoparticles and GQDs. The enhanced visible‐light response may be due to the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles and visible absorbance of GQDs. The highest photocatalytic activity has been observed in the 9‐GQDs/Ag/TiO₂ composite thin film. The efficient charge separation and transportation can be achieved by introducing the Ag nanoparticles and GQDs in the TiO₂ thin film.