稀土金属掺杂对锐钛矿型TiO2光催化活性影响的理论和实验研究

从理论和实验两方面探讨稀土金属掺杂对锐钛矿型TiO2光催化活性的影响.理论上采用基于密度泛函理论(DFT)的第一性原理,对稀土掺杂TiO2前后的几何结构、能带结构、态密度及电子结构进行了系统的研究.结果表明,Y,La,Gd,Lu,Ce,Eu,Yb和Tb掺杂有助于TiO2光催化活性的提高;而对于Pr,Nd,Pm,Sm,Dy,Ho,Er和Tm掺杂,由于在价带顶和导带底之间形成了较多的可能成为光生电子和空穴的复合中心的杂质能级,故此类稀土的掺杂浓度需要控制在较小的范围内.另一方面,采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了9种稀土金属(RE=Y,Ce,Pr,Sm,Gd,Dy,Ho,Er,Yb)掺杂的TiO2粉体,运用X射线衍射(XRD)和紫外-可见光谱法(UV-Vis)分别表征其晶体结构和光学吸收性质.结果表明,掺杂前后的TiO2均为锐钛矿相,且Ho,Pr,Ce,Sm,Y,Yb和Gd掺杂使TiO2在可见光区的吸收有不同程度的提高.理论预测与实验结果基本一致,且理论研究结果与周期表中稀土元素外层电子轨道排布规律一致,从而揭示了稀土元素掺杂的本质规律,指明了适量的稀土掺杂有利于TiO2光催化活性的提高.     

DFT description on electronic structure and optical absorption properties of anionic S-doped anatase TiO2

Plane-wave-based pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to characterize the doping effect of S substituting for O in anatase TiO(2). Through band structure calculation, a direct band gap is predicted in TiO(2)(-)(x)S(x). Electronic structure analysis shows that the doping S could substantially lower the band gap of TiO(2) by the presence of an impurity state of S 3p on the upper edge of the valence band. Excitations from the impurity state of S 3p to the conduction band may be responsible for the red shift of the absorption edge observed in the S-doped TiO(2). The band gap lowering and red shift of the absorption edge are found to increase as the sulfur concentration increases.     

3-己基噻吩和2-噻吩甲酸共聚物修饰纳米结构TiO2薄膜电极的光电性能研究

用光电流作用谱、光电流-电势图等光电化学方法研究了铟锡导电玻璃(ITO)/3-己基噻吩和2-噻吩甲酸共聚物(CTCHT)膜电极以及ITO/TiO₂/3-己基噻吩和2-噻吩甲酸共聚物(CTCHT)复合膜电极的光电转换性质. 结果表明, CTCHT膜为p-型半导体, 禁带宽度为2.44 eV, 价带位置为－5.73 eV. 研究表明在ITO/TiO₂/CTCHT复合膜电极中存在p-n异质结, p-n异质结的存在能够使光生电子和空穴有效的分离, 有效地降低了电荷的反向复合几率, 提高了光电转换效率, CTCHT膜修饰ITO/TiO₂电极可使光电流增强, 使宽禁带半导体电极的光电转换效率得到改善.     

High resolution photoemission and x-ray absorption spectroscopy of a lepidocrocite-like TiO2 nanosheet on Pt(110) (1 × 2)

The electronic structure of TiO(2) nanosheets on the Pt(110)-(1 × 2) surface has been investigated by using high resolution photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The Ti 2p XAS spectra of the deposited TiO(2) films have been theoretically evaluated and, from the comparison with the experimental data, the assignment to a lepidocrocite-like structure is confirmed. Coexistence of TiO(2) islands with PtO(2) stripes for incomplete nanosheets is confirmed by high resolution photoemission data. The location of the valence and conduction band edges of the nanosheet has been experimentally determined allowing us to describe in details subtle electronic effects due to the interface with the substrate. The locations of the valence band maximum and the leading peak in the O 1s XAS spectrum indicate a band gap similar to anatase but with the Fermi level closer to mid-gap than found for bulk, n-type TiO(2).     

One-electron oxidation pathways during beta-cyclodextrin-modified TiO2 photocatalytic reactions

The photocatalytic one-electron oxidation reactions of aromatic sulfides using the carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (CM-beta-CD)-modified TiO(2) nanoparticles (TiO(2)/CM-beta-CD) were investigated by using nano- and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopies. The one-electron oxidation processes of the substrate (S) by the valence band hole (h(VB) (+)) at the TiO(2) surface and the trapped hole at the adsorption site of the CM-beta-CD (h(CD) (+)) were examined. The transient absorption spectra and time traces observed for the charge carriers and the radical cation of S (S(.+)) revealed that the one-electron oxidation reaction of S during the nano- and femtosecond laser flash photolyses of TiO(2)/CM-beta-CD is significantly enhanced relative to bare TiO(2). The kinetics of the decay and the dimerization processes between S(.+)s are discussed on the basis of the results obtained by the pulse radiolysis technique.     

Role of complex defects in photocatalytic activities of nitrogen-doped anatase TiO(2)

Deep impurity states associated with a substitutional nitrogen at an oxygen site (N(O)) are believed to be the source of the visible-light absorption of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (TiO(2)). Our comprehensive study using density functional theory (DFT) plus onsite Coulomb interaction (U) reveals that a titanium atom at an interstitial site (Ti(i)) is highly mobile and strongly binds with N(O). Hybridizations of N p with Ti d states of Ti(i) give rise to a new band at the valence band edge, eliminating the hole-trapping centers originated from the deep N(O) states. The suggested mechanism explains the photocatalytic oxidation reactions as well as the visible-light absorption observed on N-doped anatase TiO(2).     

Bandgap widening of titania through semiconductor support interactions.

Silica-supported titania powders with 50, 36, 13 and 4 wt% of TiO2 (TiO2-50/SiO2, TiO2-36/SiO2, TiO2-13/SiO2 and TiO2-4/SiO2) were prepared by hydrolysis of TiCl4 in the presence of silica, followed by calcination at 500 degrees C. The formation of Ti-O-Si linkages was confirmed by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopy indicated the presence of titania crystals larger than 15 nm. All supported materials exhibited a blue-shift of the TiO2 absorption edge, which was attributed to an electronic semiconductor support interaction. Bandgap energies of TiO2-50/SiO2, TiO2-36/SiO2, TiO2-13/SiO2 and TiO(2)4/SiO2 were measured to be 3.28, 3.36, 3.40 and 3.42 eV, respectively, as compared to 3.15 eV for unsupported TiO2. From these values, and from the quasi-Fermi level of electrons, a high anodic shift of both the valence and the conduction band was estimated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements of oxygen 1s- and titanium 2p-binding energies confirmed the anodic shift of the band edges.     

Effect of Zr and C Co-doping on the Optical Properties and Electronic Structure of TiO_2

The systematic trends and effect introduced by Zr and C co-doping to TiO2 of electronic structure and optical properties of anatase TiO2 have been calculated by the plane-wave ultra-soft pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT) method within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) for the exchange-correlation potential. Through the current calculations, the density of states (DOS), energy band structure and optical absorption coefficients have been obtained for TiO2 and compared with the doped TiO2, and the influence of electronic structure and optical properties caused by Zr and C co-doping has been presented qualitatively together. The results revealed that the energy band gap has been decreased owing to the doped Zr and C, whereas the optical absorption coefficients have been increased in the region of 400～800 nm and a red shift of absorption band can be found. Accordingly, photo catalytic activity of TiO2 has been enhanced. The current calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Characterization of paramagnetic species in N-doped TiO2 powders by EPR spectroscopy and DFT calculations

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations are combined for the first time in an effort to characterize the paramagnetic species present in N-doped anatase TiO2 powders obtained by sol-gel synthesis. The experimental hyperfine coupling constants are well reproduced by two structurally different nitrogen impurities: substitutional and interstitial N atoms in the TiO2 anatase matrix. DFT calculations show that the nitrogen impurities induce the formation of localized states in the band gap. Substitutional nitrogen states lie just above the valence band, while interstitial nitrogen states lie higher in the gap. Excitations from these localized states to the conduction band may account for the absorption edge shift toward lower energies (visible region) observed in the case of N-doped TiO2 with respect to pure TiO2 (UV region). Calculations also show that nitrogen doping leads to a substantial reduction of the energy cost to form oxygen vacancies in bulk TiO2. This suggests that nitrogen doping is likely to be accompanied by oxygen vacancy formation. Finally, we propose that the relative abundance of the two observed nitrogen-doping species depends on the preparation conditions, such as the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere and the annealing temperature during synthesis.     

Fluorescence quenching of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin by colloidal TiO(2)

A stable colloidal TiO(2) has been prepared. The interaction of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) with colloidal TiO(2) was studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Upon excitation of its absorption band, the fluorescence emission of TSPP was quenched by colloidal TiO(2). The bimolecular quenching rate constant (k(q)) is 1.78 x 10(11)M(-1)s(-1). The porphyrin can participate in the quenching process by injecting electrons from its excited states into the conduction band of TiO(2). The quenching mechanism is discussed on the basis of the quenching rate constant as well as the reduction potential of the colloidal TiO(2). Rehm-Weller equation was applied for the calculation of free energy change (DeltaG(et)).     

P掺杂量对纳米TiO2结构及其光催化甘油水溶液制氢性能的影响

以钛酸丁酯为前驱体,以NaH2PO4为掺杂离子给体,采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了系列P掺杂的TiO2光催化剂,运用N2吸附-脱附、透射电子显微镜、X射线衍射、傅里叶变换红外吸收光谱、激光拉曼光谱、紫外-可见光漫反射等技术对催化剂进行了表征.结果表明,适量掺杂的P可以进入TiO2骨架中,而掺杂量过高时,P将溶解于TiO2晶格间隙中;P掺杂后的TiO2均为具有介孔结构的锐钛矿晶型纳米颗粒,其晶粒变小,分散度明显提高.适量P掺杂增大样品的比表面积,并使得TiO2禁带内引入杂质能级,降低了禁带能量,增加了光生电子和空穴的分离性能,提高了TiO2的吸光性能.光催化甘油水溶液制氢反应结果表明,P掺杂的TiO2表现出远高于纯TiO2的光催化活性;5%P掺杂样品在紫外光和模拟太阳光辐射下,其最高产氢速率可分别达1838和209μmol/(g.h).这与掺P后晶粒变小、比表面积增大、禁带能量降低以及光生电子和空穴的分离性能增加有关.     

Band gap engineering of double-cation-impurity-doped anatase-titania for visible-light photocatalysts: a hybrid density functional theory approach

In this study, we have used cation-passivated codoping of Nb with Ga/In and also of W with Zn/Cd to modulate the band structure of anatase-TiO(2) to extend absorption to longer visible-light wavelengths. We adopted generalized Kohn-Sham theory with the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE06) hybrid functional for exchange and correlation. It has been found that (W, Cd)-doped TiO(2) should be a strong candidate for visible-light photocatalyst materials owing to the largest extent of band gap narrowing and the formation of continuum band, without movement of the valence band. It is argued that this design principle for band-edge modification can also be applied to other wide-band-gap semiconductors.     

Mo掺杂对纳米TiO2结构和活性的影响

利用Mo6 的掺杂在TiO2中引入缺陷,从而扩大TiO2催化剂的光谱响应范围。运用UV-Vis、XRD、XPS、TG-DTA等测试技术考察了钼离子掺杂浓度对于TiO2光催化剂吸收光谱范围、晶型、晶胞和晶粒的影响,分析了钼进入TiO2品格的方式、价态和掺杂催化剂在热处理过程中发生的物理和化学变化。以亚甲蓝溶液的光催化降解为模型反应,考察了掺杂量对这种新型光催化剂的光催化活性的影响。结果表明,Mo6 可进入TiO2晶格中形成杂质缺陷,引起TiO2品格膨胀,Mo6 的掺杂量影响TiO2晶粒尺寸和晶相转化。Mo6 掺杂的质量分数为4．5％时,样品的吸收带边可达460 nm,对40 mg/L亚甲蓝反应2 h的降解率为58．3％,矿化率为52．5%。而Mo6 的掺杂质量分数为3．0％和6．0％时,形成的TiO2晶粒尺寸较小,TiO2晶粒中锐钛矿相与金红石相的比例接近4:1时,对亚甲蓝降解率分别为56．6％和52．0％,矿化率分别为49．2％和44．2％。     

不对称菁染料敏化纳米TiO2的光生电流过程

用光电化学方法研究了不对称菁类染料敏化TiO2纳米结构电极的光电转换过程.结果表明,该染料的电子激发态能级位置与TiO2纳米粒子导带边位置匹配较好,光激发染料后,其激发态电子可以注入到TiO2纳米多孔膜的导带,从而使TiO2纳米结构电极的吸收光谱和光电流谱红移至可见光区,其 IPCE(Incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency)值最高可达84.3%.并进一步结合现场紫外-可见吸收光谱研究了外加电势对激发态染料往TiO2纳米多孔膜注入电子过程的影响.     

The nitrogen-boron paramagnetic center in visible light sensitized N-B co-doped TiO(2). Experimental and theoretical characterization

Nitrogen boron co-doped TiO(2) prepared via sol-gel synthesis and active under visible light, contains two types of paramagnetic extrinsic defects, both exhibiting a well resolved EPR spectrum. The first center is the well characterized [N(i)O]˙ species (i = interstitial) also present in N-doped TiO(2), while the second one involves both N and B. This latter center (labeled [NOB]˙) exhibits well resolved EPR spectra obtained using either (14)N or (15)N which show a high spin density in a N 2p orbital. The structure of the [NOB]˙ species is different from that previously proposed in the literature and is actually based on the presence of interstitial N and B atoms both bound to the same lattice oxygen ion. The interstitial B is also linked to two other lattice oxygen ions reproducing the trigonal planar structure typical of boron compounds. The energy level of the [NOB]˙ center lies near the edge of the valence band of TiO(2) and, as such, does not contribute to the visible light absorption. However, [NOB]˙ can easily trap one electron generating the [NOB](-) diamagnetic center which introduces a gap state at about 0.4 eV above the top of the valence band. This latter species can contribute to the visible light activity.     

Electronic properties of the interface between p-CuI and anatase-phase n-TiO2 single crystal and nanoparticulate surfaces: a photoemission study

We present a study of the growth of the p-type inorganic semiconductor CuI on n-type TiO2 anatase single crystal (101) surfaces and on nanoparticulate anatase surfaces using synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy. Core level photoemission data obtained using synchrotron radiation reveal that both the substrate (TiO2) and the overlayer (CuI) core levels shift to a lower binding energy to different degrees following the growth of CuI on TiO2. Valence band photoemission data show that the valence band maximum of the clean substrate differs from that of the dosed surface which may be interpreted qualitatively as due to the introduction of a new density of states within the band gap of TiO2 as a result of the growth of CuI. The valence band offset for the heterojunction n-TiO2p-CuI has been measured using photoemission for both nanoparticulate and single crystal TiO2 surfaces, and the band energy alignment for these heterojunction interfaces is presented. With the information obtained here, it is suggested that the interface between p-CuI and single crystal anatase-phase n-TiO2 is a type-II heterojunction interface, with significant band bending. The measured total band bending matches the work function change at the interface, i.e., there is no interface dipole. In the case of the nanoparticulate interface, an interface dipole is found, but band bending within the anatase nanoparticles remains quite significant. We show that the corresponding depletion layer may be accommodated within the dimension of the nanoparticles. The results are discussed in the context of the functional properties of dye-sensitized solid state solar cells.     

Theoretical study of the structure and optical properties of carbon-doped rutile and anatase titanium oxides

The structure and optical properties of carbon-doped titanium oxides, TiO2, in the rutile and anatase forms have been investigated theoretically from first principles. Two possible doping sites were studied, carbon at an oxygen site (anion doping) and carbon at a titanium site (cation doping). The calculated structures suggest that cation-doped carbon atoms form a carbonate-type structure, whereas anion-doped carbon atoms do not invoke any significant structural change. A density-of-states analysis revealed three in-gap impurity states for anion doping. The optical properties of anion-doped cells qualitatively agree with the experimentally reported visible-light absorbance values. We ascribe part of the absorption to transitions from the valence band to one of the impurity states. These transitions should be able to promote photocatalytic reactions, because electron holes in the valence band are considered to be crucial for this process. Neither in-gap impurity states nor visible-light absorbance were observed in the case of cation doping. The effect of oxygen vacancies was also investigated. Introduction of oxygen vacancies into anion-doped TiO2 populates the impurity states and thus suppresses photocatalysis. The interaction of a doped carbon atom with an oxygen vacancy at a finite spatial separation was also carried out. The possibility of either a carbon-oxygen vacancy pair or higher carbon-oxygen vacancy complex existing is discussed.     

Electronic band structure of titania semiconductor nanosheets revealed by electrochemical and photoelectrochemical studies

Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical studies were conducted on self-assembled multilayer films of titania nanosheets on a conductive ITO substrate. Cyclic voltammogram (CV) curves indicated that the titania nanosheet electrode underwent insertion/extraction of Li(+) ions into/from the nanosheet galleries, associated with reduction/oxidation of Ti(4+)/Ti(3+). These processes accompanied reversible changes in UV-vis absorption of the titania nanosheet electrodes. Applying a negative bias of -1.3 V (vs Ag/Ag(+)) and lower brought about absorption reduction where the wavelength is shorter than 323 nm, and vice versa, indicating a flat-band potential of (approximately) -1.3 V and a band gap energy of 3.84 eV. Photocurrents were generated from the titania nanosheet electrodes under a positive bias. The onset potential for photocurrent generation from the titania nanosheet electrodes was around -1.27 V, and the band gap energy estimated from the photocurrent action spectra was 3.82 eV, in excellent agreement with the values obtained from the spectroelectrochemical data. The lack of difference in the band gap energies for titania nanosheet electrodes with different numbers of layers suggests that a nanosheet is electronically isolated in multilayer assemblies without affecting the electronic state of neighboring nanosheets. Similar measurements on the anatase-type TiO(2) electrode revealed that the lower edge of the conduction band for the titania nanosheet is approximately 0.1 V higher than that for anatase, while the upper edge of the valence band is 0.5 V lower.     

Preparation and photocatalytic behavior of MoS2 and WS2 nanocluster sensitized TiO2

A new approach has been developed for the fabrication of visible light photocatalysts. Nanoclusters of MoS2 and WS2 are coupled to TiO2 by an in situ photoreduction deposition method taking advantage of the reducing power of the photogenerated electrons from TiO2 particles. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and 4-chlorophenol in aqueous suspension has been employed to evaluate the visible light photocatalytic activity of the powders. The blue shift in the absorption onset confirms the size quantization of MS2 nanoclusters, which act as effective and stable sensitizers, making it possible to utilize visible light in photocatalysis. Quantum size effects alter the energy levels of the conduction and valence band edges in the coupled semiconductor systems, which favors the interparticle electron transfer. In addition, the coupled systems are believed to act in a cooperative manner by increasing the degree of charge carrier separation, which effectively reduces recombination.     

Composite Au/TiO(2) Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Assembly by Using Potentiostatic Technique

Composite Au/TiO(2) nanoparticles were synthesized using TiO(2) nanoparticles as nuclei. The particles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, zeta potential, EDS, and TEM. The mean diameter of the particles is about 23.6 nm, and the position of the surface plasma absorption band peak is at 533 nm, with a red shift of 15 nm compared with that of Au sol. The zeta potential is +31.3 mV. Monolayers of composite Au/TiO(2) nanoparticles were obtained using the potentiostatic technique. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.