Visible-light-driven titania photocatalyst co-doped with nitrogen and ferrum

Nitrogen and ferrum co-doped titania photocatalyst was prepared by the sol-gel route. The prepared photocatalyst was characterized by various techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm. The photocatalytic activity of the co-doped titania photocatalyst was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) from aqueous solution under visible light irradiation and was compared with that of the commercial TiO₂ photocatalyst (Degussa P25). The results revealed that the nitrogen doping could lead to the response to visible light and that the ferrum doping could improve the photocatalytic performance. The effects of the component and the annealing temperature of the co-doped titania photocatalyst on the photocatalytic activity were investigated.     

Preparation and characterization of visible-light-driven titania photocatalyst co-doped with boron and nitrogen

In order to improve the photocatalytic performance of titania under visible light, a boron and nitrogen co-doped titania photocatalyst was prepared. Its photoabsorbance was measured by UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The microstructure of photocatalyst was characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microcrystal of the co-doped photocatalyst consisted of anatase phase and was approximately present in the form of spherical particle. The particle size was in correlation with the calcination temperature. Degradation of phenol under visible light illumination was used to evaluate the photocatalytic performance. The calcination temperature and the component influenced the photoactivity. The results showed that the co-doping of boron and nitrogen played an important role in the band gap decrease, which led to the rise of the photocatalytic activity.     

Synthesis, characterization and degradation of Bisphenol A using Pr, N co-doped TiO2 with highly visible light activity

Praseodymium and nitrogen co-doped titania (Pr/N-TiO₂) photocatalysts, which could degrade Bisphenol A (BPA) under visible light irradiation, were prepared by the modified sol-gel process. Tetrabutyl titanate, urea and praseodymium nitrate were used as the sources of titanium, nitrogen and praseodymium, respectively. The resulting materials were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). It was found that Pr doping inhibited the growth of crystalline size and the transformation from anatase to rutile. The degradation of BPA under visible light illumination was taken as probe reaction to evaluate the photo-activity of the co-doped photocatalyst. In our experiments, the optimal dopant amount of Pr was 1.2 mol% and the calcination temperature was 500 °C for the best photocatalytic activity. Pr/N-TiO₂ samples exhibited enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity compared to N-TiO₂, undoped TiO₂ and commercial P25. The nitrogen atoms were incorporated into the crystal of titania and could narrow the band gap energy. Pr doping could slow the radiative recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes in TiO₂. The improvement of photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the synergistic effects of nitrogen and Pr co-doping.     

Visible-light-driven titania/silica photocatalyst co-doped with boron and ferrum

The sol-gel route was employed to prepare a titania/silica photocatalyst co-doped with boron and ferrum. The microstructure and the optical property of the photocatalyst were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm. The decomposition of phenol under visible light irradiation was used as probe reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity. The results revealed that the dopants could inhibit phase transformation of TiO₂, and that there were intimate molecule-level interactions between titania and silica. The doping boron led to the response to visible light. The doping ferrum, which existed in the form of Fe₂O₃ and dispersed on the surface of TiO₂, increased photoquantum efficiency and resulted in the enhancement of catalytic performance. The photocatalytic activity related to the annealing temperature and component. The synergistic effects of co-doping and intimate interaction between titania and silica were responsible for the increase of photoactivity.     

硫和银共掺杂介孔TiO2的制备、表征及其对染料的光催化降解活性

以P123为模板,以钛酸四正丁酯、硝酸银和硫脲为原料采用模板法制备了一系列硫和银共掺杂介孔TiO₂光催化材料．利用SEM、XRD、BET和紫外-可见光谱等技术对其形貌、晶体结构及表面结构、光吸收特性等进行了表征．以甲基橙溶液的光催化降解为模型反应,考察了不同掺杂量的样品在紫外和可见光下的光催化性能．结果表明,用模板法制备的共掺杂介孔TiO₂光催化材料在紫外和可见光条件下较纯介孔TiO₂和单掺杂介孔TiO₂对甲基橙溶液具有更好的光催化降解效果, 且硫和银的掺杂量及样品焙烧温度显著影响该材料的催化性能．当硫掺杂量为2mol%和银掺杂量为1mol%,在500 oC 焙烧2 h所得光催化材料的催化性能最佳,4 h即可使甲基橙的降解率达98.8%,重复使用4次仍可使甲基橙的降解率保持在87.5%以上     

Enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability of nano-scaled TiO2 co-doped with N and Fe

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles co-doped with N and Fe were prepared via modified sol-gel process. The products were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N₂ adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is shown that the prepared TiO₂ particles were less than 10 nm with narrow particle size distribution. The addition of MCM-41 caused the formation of Ti-O-Si bond which fixed the TiO₂ on MCM-41 surface, thus restricted the agglomeration and growth of TiO₂ particles. The photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue showed that N, Fe co-doped TiO₂ exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than doped sample with nitrogen or Fe³⁺ alone under both UV and visible light. N, Fe co-doping decreased the loss of doping N during the degradation reaction, thus increased the photocatalytic stability. It was also found that the nitridation time had significant influence on the photocatalytic activity of prepared TiO₂ catalysts.     

Continuous one-step synthesis of N-doped titania under supercritical and subcritical water conditions for photocatalytic reaction under visible light

N-doped titania was prepared continuously by one-step synthetic method under supercritical and subcritical water conditions using titanium(IV)tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and nitric acid as a titania precursor and nitrogen source, respectively. The synthesized N-doped titania particles were characterized by XRD, N₂-adsorption, TEM, XPS, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. N-doped titania was successfully synthesized and its crystalline structure was homogenous anatase phase with high surface area. The absorption edge of synthesized N-doped titania shifted into the visible light region compared with commercial titania P25. All synthesized N-doped titania have higher photocatalytic activity than P25 under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic activity of N-doped titania synthesized under supercritical water condition was the highest for the degradation of methyl orange under visible light due to the larger crystallite size compared with the N-doped titania synthesized under subcritical water condition.     

Boron and nitrogen co-doped titania with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution

A visible-light boron and nitrogen co-doped titania (B-N-TiO₂) photocatalyst was prepared by sol-gel method with titanium tetra-n-butyl oxide, urea and boric acid as precursors. The photocatalyst was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), UV-vis diffusive reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET and electrochemistry method. Photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production over platinized B-N-TiO₂ under visible-light (λ ≥ 420 nm) irradiation was investigated. In nitrogen doped titania (N-TiO₂) NTiO bond is formed, which extends the absorption edge to the visible-light region. A part of doping boron enters into titania lattice and most of the boron exists at the surface of the catalyst. The crystallite size of B-N-TiO₂ decreases compared to N-TiO₂, while its photocurrent and the surface hydroxyl group increase. Furthermore, doping boron could act as shallow traps for photoinduced electrons to prolong the life of the electrons and holes. Therefore, the visible-light activity of B-N-iO₂ increases greatly compared with that of N-TiO₂.     

Characterization of nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titania photocatalyst: Effect of temperature on microstructure and surface activity properties

Nitrogen and fluorine co-doped titania photocatalyst samples to be used for air purification were prepared by spray pyrolysis using a mixed solution of TiCl₄ and NH₄F. Droplets of the mixed solution formed by nebulizer passed through a ceramic tube furnace under a suction of an aspirator and a titania-based powder was formed at temperatures in the range from 700 to 1000 °C. The resulting nanopowders were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, temperature programmed desorption of NH₃, methods of thermal analysis, particle size, surface area and porosity determination by nitrogen adsorption. Morphology and surface activity of the samples prepared at various conditions were compared. The thermal behavior of the samples characterized by TG, DTA and ETA under air heating conditions is discussed considering the differences in samples preparation. A high photocatalytic activity for acetaldehyde decomposition in a visible region of spectrum depended on the spray pyrolysis temperature and can be ascribed to a synergetic effect of nitrogen and fluorine doping.     

Synthesis of fluorine-doped titania-coated activated carbon under low temperature with high photocatalytic activity under visible light

Fluorine-doped anatase titania sols were synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium-n-butoxide in the presence of abundant acidic aqueous solution and using ammonium fluoride as fluorine precursors, under mild condition. The prepared fluorine-doped titania nanoparticles were loaded on activated carbon in a rotatory evaporator under vacuum to form a composite photocatalyst. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis, UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption measurement were used to characterize these as-prepared powders. The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by degrading phenol under visible light. Results showed that the composite photocatalyst was porous due to its nano-microstructure. The number of hydroxyl groups on the titania surface was enhanced after fluorine doping. Compared with pure titania-activated carbon and Degussa P25, the as-prepared composite powders exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity, although absorption response range into the visible region was not detected by diffuse reflection spectra.