Production and testing of novel photocatalytic TiO2 surface-exposed nanoparticle (TiO2-SEN) thin plastic films

•Flexible, transparent, thin, photocatalytically active TiO2 plastic films synthesized.•New method of preparation involving phase transfer agent and charged photocatalyst particles.•Films more active than commercial self-cleaning glass in various photocatalytic reactions.•Generic method that can be extended to other semiconductor photocatalysts.