First‐principles calculation of electronic structure of V‐doped anatase TiO2

The energetic and electronic structures of V‐doped anatase TiO₂ have been investigated systematically by the GGA+U approach, including replacement of Ti by V in the absence and presence of oxygen vacancies and the presence of an interstitial site. It was found that V should exist as a V⁴⁺ ion in the replacement of Ti in the anatase lattice, the electron transitions of which to the conduction band from V 3d states are responsible for the experimentally observed visible light absorption. The influence of V dopant concentration on the electronic and magnetic properties is also discussed, such as the influence of the U value in systems containing oxygen vacancies and spin flip phenomena for interstitial V‐doping.     

On the Origin of the Visible‐Light Activity of Titanium Dioxide Doped with Carbonate Species

Plane‐wave‐based pseudopotential density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to elucidate the origin of the high photocatalytic efficiency of carbonate‐doped TiO₂. Two geometrically possible doping positions are considered, including interstitial and substitutional carbon atoms on Ti sites. From the optical absorption properties calculations, we believe that the formation of carbonates after doping with interstitial carbon atoms is crucial, whereas the contribution from the cationic doping on Ti sites is negligible. The carbonate species doped TiO₂ exhibits excellent absorption in the visible‐light region of 400–800 nm, in good agreement with experimental observations. Electronic structure analysis shows that the carbonate species introduce an impurity state from Ti 3d below the conduction band. Excitations from the impurity state to the conduction band may be responsible for the high visible‐light activity of the carbon doped TiO₂ materials.     

Preparation of Cu-doped TiO2 via refluxing of alkoxide solution and its photocatalytic properties

Cu-doped TiO₂ was prepared by the refluxing of a mixture of copper and titanium alkoxides. The refluxing improved the Cu²⁺ dispersion in the TiO₂ and formed effective Ti–O–Cu bonds. The impurity states due to the highly dispersed Cu²⁺ were presumed to trap the electrons in the conduction band of the TiO₂ and prevent charge recombination of the electrons and holes. Consequently, the prolonged charge separation duration was suggested to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the Cu-doped TiO₂. This enhancement was confirmed by the hydroxyl radical generation and organic compound degradation. The Ti–O–Cu bonds and electronic interaction between Cu and Ti should effectively promote the electron trapping. The Cu-doped TiO₂ exhibited a visible light-induced activity due to the transition from the TiO₂ valence band to the Cu²⁺ impurity states.     

Sulfur and Ti3+ co‐Doping of TiO2 Nanotubes Enhance Photocatalytic H2 Evolution Without the Use of Any co‐catalyst

TiO₂ nanotubes were successfully co‐doped with sulfur and Ti³⁺ states using a facile annealing treatment in H₂/H₂S gas mixture. The obtained nanotubes were investigated for their photocatalytic performance and characterized by SEM, XRD, XPS, EPR, IPCE, IMPS and Mott‐Schottky measurements. The synthesized co‐doped TiO₂ nanotubes show an enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production rate compared to tubes that were treated only in pure H₂ or H₂S atmosphere—this without the presence of any co‐catalyst. It was found that sulfur in co‐doped TiO₂ exists in the form of S^2? and a small quantity of S⁴⁺/S⁶⁺, which leads to a narrowing of the band gap. However, the enhanced absorption of light in the visible range is not the key reason for the improved photocatalytic performance. We ascribe the enhanced photocatalytic activity to a synergetic effect of S mid‐gap states and disordered Ti³⁺ defects that facilitate photo generated electron transfer.     

Site‐Selected Doping of Upconversion Luminescent Er3+ into SrTiO3 for Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalytic H2 or O2 Evolution

A series of upconversion luminescent erbium‐doped SrTiO₃ (ABO₃‐type) photocatalysts with different initial molar ratios of Sr/Ti have been prepared by a facile polymerized complex method. Er³⁺ ions, which were gradually transferred from the A to the B site with increasing Sr/Ti, enabled the absorption of visible light and the generation of high‐energy excited states populated by upconversion processes. The local internal fields arising from the dipole moments of the distorted BO₆ octahedra promoted energy transfer from the high‐energy excited states of Er³⁺ with B‐site occupancy to the host SrTiO₃ and thus enhanced the band‐to‐band transition of the host SrTiO₃. Consequently, the erbium‐doped SrTiO₃ species with B‐site occupancy showed higher photocatalytic activity than those with A‐site occupancy for visible‐light‐driven H₂ or O₂ evolution in the presence of the corresponding sacrificial reagents. The results generally suggest that the introduction of upconversion luminescent agents into host semiconductors is a promising approach to simultaneously harnessing low‐energy photons and maintaining redox ability for photocatalytic H₂ and O₂ evolution and that the site occupancy of doped elements in ABO₃‐type perovskite oxides greatly determines the photocatalytic activity.     

Charge‐transfer transitions and optic spectra of chromites: A model computation

In the cluster approach, we consider the peculiarities of charge‐transfer (CT) states and CT O 2p → Cr 3d transitions in the octahedral (CrO₆)^9? complex. We have computed the reduced matrix elements of electric‐dipole transition operator on many‐electron wave functions — the initial and final states of CT transitions. We have parameterized the obtained results and computed the relative intensities of various allowed CT transitions in the absence of the mixing of CT configurations having the same symmetry. Using the Tanabe‐Sugano technique, we have taken into account this mixing and obtained the energies of many‐electron CT transitions and their actual intensities as well. We have also allowed for the Coulomb interaction between the 2p‐electrons of the O^2? ligands and the 3d‐electrons of the central Cr³⁺ ion in the (CrO₆)^9? cluster. This interaction proved insignificant for the optic spectra. Modeling the optic spectrum of chromium‐based oxides has yielded a complicated CT band consisting of 33 lines with the main maximum at about 7 eV and satellites in the range of 4–5 and 8–9 eV. The total extent of the CT band is about 8 eV. The model spectrum is in satisfactory agreement with experimental data, which shows the limited validity of the generally accepted notion of a simple structure of CT spectra. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Probing the Electronic Structure and Photoactivation Process of Nitrogen‐Doped TiO2 Using DRS,PL, and EPR

The electronic structure and photoactivation process in N‐doped TiO₂ is investigated. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) are employed to monitor the change of optical absorption ability and the formation of N species and defects in the heat‐ and photoinduced N‐doped TiO₂ catalyst. Under thermal treatment below 573 K in vacuum, no nitrogen dopant is removed from the doped samples but oxygen vacancies and Ti³⁺ states are formed to enhance the optical absorption in the visible‐light region, especially at wavelengths above 500 nm with increasing temperature. In the photoactivation processes of N‐doped TiO₂, the DRS absorption and PL emission in the visible spectral region of 450–700 nm increase with prolonged irradiation time. The EPR results reveal that paramagnetic nitrogen species (N_s^.), oxygen vacancies with one electron (V_o^.), and Ti³⁺ ions are produced with light irradiation and the intensity of N_s^. species is dependent on the excitation light wavelength and power. The combined characterization results confirm that the energy level of doped N species is localized above the valence band of TiO₂ corresponding to the main absorption band at 410 nm of N‐doped TiO₂, but oxygen vacancies and Ti³⁺ states as defects contribute to the visible‐light absorption above 500 nm in the overall absorption of the doped samples. Thus, a detailed picture of the electronic structure of N‐doped TiO₂ is proposed and discussed. On the other hand, the transfer of charge carriers between nitrogen species and defects is reversible on the catalyst surface. The presence of oxygen‐vacancy‐related defects leads to quenching of paramagnetic N_s^. species but they stabilize the active nitrogen species N_s^?.     

Glass nanofibrous yarn through electrospinning along with in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles

Multiferroic materials based on lead-free ferroelectric materials have potential applications in the fabrication of next-generation devices. Herein, the sol–gel method is used to synthesize pristine and Cr-doped Bi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃ nanocrystals. Density functional theory simulation is performed to elucidate the mechanism underlying the observed electronic and magnetic properties of the nanocrystals. In materials doped with 9?mol% Cr, the substitution of Cr in the Ti site decreases the optical band gap from 3.09?eV to 2.26?eV and induces ferromagnetism at room temperature. The saturation magnetization of the materials is approximately 0.18?μ_B/Cr at 5?K and can be attributed to the interplay of the unpaired electron counts of Cr³⁺ ions in the crystal field mechanism and Jahn–Teller effect. Pristine Bi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃ samples exhibit weak ferromagnetism at room temperature, given the existence of the mixed valence states of Ti⁴⁺ and Ti³⁺ and the formation of O or Ti vacancies during sample growth. The present study provides deep insight into the induction of magnetism in ferroelectric materials doped with transition metals. Such materials have potential spintronic applications.

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Fabrication of Predominantly Mn4+‐Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles under Equilibrium Conditions and Their Application as Visible‐Light Photocatalyts

The chemical state of a transition‐metal dopant in TiO₂ can intrinsically determine the performance of the doped material in applications such as photocatalysis and photovoltaics. In this study, manganese‐doped TiO₂ is fabricated by a near‐equilibrium process, in which the TiO₂ precursor powder precipitates from a hydrothermally obtained transparent mother solution. The doping level and subsequent thermal treatment influence the morphology and crystallization of the TiO₂ samples. FTIR spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses indicate that the manganese dopant is substitutionally incorporated by replacing Ti⁴⁺ cations. The absorption band edge can be gradually shifted to 1.8 eV by increasing the nominal manganese content to 10 at %. Manganese atoms doped into the titanium lattice are associated with the dominant 4+ valence oxidation state, which introduces two curved, intermediate bands within the band gap and results in a significant enhancement in photoabsorption and the quantity of photogenerated hydroxyl radicals. Additionally, the high photocatalytic performance of manganese‐doped TiO₂ is also attributed to the low oxygen content, owing to the equilibrium fabrication conditions. This work provides an important strategy to control the chemical and defect states of dopants by using an equilibrium fabrication process.     

Simultaneous removal of Cu2+ and Cr3+ ions from aqueous solution based on Complexation with Eriochrome cyanine‐R and derivative spectrophotometric method

TiO₂ nanoparticles deposited on activated carbon (TiO₂–NP–AC) was prepared and characterized by XRD and SEM analysis. Subsequently, simultaneous ultrasound‐assisted adsorption of Cu²⁺ and Cr³⁺ ions onto TiO₂‐NPs‐AC after complexation via eriochrome cyanine R (ECR) has been investigated with UV–Vis and FAA spectrophotometer. Spectra overlapping of the ECR‐Cu and ECR‐Cr complex was resolve by derivative spectrophotometric technique. The effects of various parameters such as initial Cu²⁺ (A) and Cr³⁺ (B) ions concentrations, TiO₂‐NPs‐AC mass (C), sonication time (D) and pH (E) on the removal percentage were investigated and optimized by central composite design (CCD). The optimize conditions were set as: 4.21 min, 0.019 mg, 20.02 and 13.22 mg L^?1 and 6.63 for sonication time, TiO₂–NP–AC mass, initial Cr³⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions concentration and pH, respectively. The experimental equilibrium data fitting to Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich models show that the Langmuir model is a good and suitable model for evaluation and the actual behavior of adsorption process and maximum adsorption capacity of 105.26 and 93.46 mg g^?1 were obtained for Cu²⁺ and Cr³⁺ ions, respectively. Kinetic evaluation of experimental data showed that the adsorption processes followed well pseudo second order and intraparticle diffusion models.     

Preparation of Cr‐doped TiO2/SiO2 Photocatalysts and their Photocatalytic Properties

Cr‐doped TiO₂/SiO₂ nanostructured materials were prepared employing a layer‐by‐layer assemblym technique. TiO₂ colloids were synthesized by a sol‐gel method using TiCl₄ as a precursor. The experimental results showed that sphere‐type TiO₂ particles on SiO₂ exhibited uniform shape and a narrow size distribution. The amount of Ti (wt %) increased as a function of the number of the coating layers. The coatingv layers was composed of anatase titania nanocrystals at 550 °C. The onset of band‐gap transition for Crdoped TiO₂/SiO₂ showed a red shift compared with that for the undoped TiO₂/SiO₂. And the photocatalytic activity of Cr‐doped TiO₂/SiO₂ was higher than that of undoped sample.     

Water oxidation on N‐Doped TiO2 nanotube arrays

Photocatalytic splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen by utilizing solar energy is regarded as an effective strategy to solve oil crisis. By utilizing density functional calculations, we herein present the systemic studies with respect to water splitting mechanism on N‐doped TiO₂ nanotube arrays (NTAs), and focus on activation energy, thermodynamic properties, and effects of N‐doping on reaction process. Our results reveal that the impurity 2p states of doped nitrogen effectively change electronic structure of TiO₂ NTAs, which act as an electron acceptor and facilitate weakly bound electrons of valence band to be easily excited to acceptor level, as well as enhance the first H₂O adsorption and dissociation on the inside wall of N‐doped TiO₂ NTAs. Therefore, it is found that the rate‐determining step of water splitting is the formation reaction of HOO* on N‐doped TiO₂ NTAs rather than the formation of HO* from the first H₂O. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Cr3+:SrGa12O19: A Broadband Near‐Infrared Long‐Persistent Phosphor

Cr³⁺‐doped SrGa₁₂O₁₉ is demonstrated to be a broadband near‐infrared (650–950 nm) long‐persistent phosphor whose luminescence can last for more than 2 h after ultraviolet irradiation is stopped. Detailed analysis of the photoluminescence and thermoluminescence spectra and of the persistent decay behavior of the Cr³⁺‐doped SrGa₁₂O₁₉ samples indicate that the persistent energy transfer from the SrGa₁₂O₁₉ host to the Cr³⁺ ions and the filling and release of electrons into and from the shallow and deep traps through the conduction band is responsible for the long‐persistent phosphorescence.     

Anionic Dopant Delocalization through p‐Band Modulation to Endow Metal Oxides with Enhanced Visible‐Light Photoactivity

An N‐doped TiO₂ model reveals a conceptually different mechanism for activating the N dopant based on delocalized orbital hybridization through O vacancy incorporation. Synchrotron‐based X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, time‐resolved fluorescence, and DFT studies revealed that O vacancy incorporation can effectively stimulate the delocalization of N impurity states through p‐band orbital modulation, which leads to a significant enhancement in photocarrier lifetime. Consequently, this effect also results in a remarkable increase in the incident photon‐to‐electron conversion efficiency in the range of 400–550 nm compared to that of conventional N‐incorporated TiO₂ (15 % versus 1 % at 450 nm). This work reveals the fundamental necessity of orbital modulation in the band engineering of metal oxides for driving solar water splitting and beyond.     

Small-defect clusters in chromia-doped rutiles

Bright-field phase contrast electron microscope images of chromia-doped rutiles have been used to study the size and distribution of small defect clusters in specimens of TiO₂, (Ti,Cr)O_1.995, and (Ti,Cr)O_1.985. Comparisons of observed and measured spot contrast densities, and contrast calculations using computer simulations of the defect structures, lead to the conclusion that the smallest clusters observed contained ～32 Cr³⁺ cations. Larger clusters occurred with increasing frequency for higher dopant levels, which is consistent with increased interaction and aggregation of traditional or reconstructed small defects (e.g., Cr³⁺ interstitials or charge-compensated oxygen vacancies).     

Laser-induced luminescence of model Fe/Al2O3 and Cr/Al2O3 catalysts

The laser-induced luminescence of Cr³⁺ impurity ions in model Fe/Al₂O₃ and Cr/Al₂O₃ catalysts with different calcination temperatures was studied. It was found that an additional luminescence band at 770 nm appeared in the luminescence spectra of low-temperature samples as a result of the interaction of octahedrally coordinated Cr³⁺ ions with Fe³⁺ impurity ions. In the θ-Al₂O₃ phase with a concentration of Cr³⁺ ions higher than 0.1 wt %, the interaction of the Cr³⁺-Cr³⁺ ion pairs in the immediate surroundings resulted in the appearance of N _θ lines due to the splitting of R _θ lines. The differences of these lines from the N _α lines of α-Al₂O₃ were related to the individuality of the crystal lattice of the θ phase and the coordination of Cr³⁺ impurity ions in the immediate surroundings, which is different from that in the α phase. Based on the laser-induced luminescence spectroscopic data, it was found that regions with a local Cr³⁺ concentration higher than the average Cr³⁺ concentration in the bulk of a catalyst by one order of magnitude were formed in the α-Al₂O₃-Fe₂O₃ system with the bulk Fe and Cr concentrations of 2.5 and 0.04 wt %, respectively, which was calcined at 1220°C, as a result of the diffusion of chromium and iron ions.     

First‐Principles Calculations on Electronic Structures of N/V‐Doped and N‐V‐Dodoped Anatase TiO2 (101) Surfaces

The energetic and electronic properties of N/V‐doped and N‐V‐codoped anatase TiO₂ (101) surfaces are investigated by first‐principles calculations, with the aim to elucidate the relationship between the electronic structure and the photocatalytic performance of N‐V‐codoped TiO₂. Several substitutional and interstitial configurations for the N and/or V impurities in the bulk phase and on the surface are studied, and the relative stability of different doping configurations is compared by the impurity formation energy. Systematic calculations reveal that N and V impurities can be encapsulated by TiO₂ to form stable structures as a result of strong N‐V interactions both in the bulk and the surface model. Through analyzing and comparing the electronic structures of different doping systems, the synergistic doping effects are discussed in detail. Based on these discussions, we suggest that N_OV_Ti codoping cannot only narrow the band gap of anatase TiO₂, but also forms impurity states, which are propitious for the separation of photoexcited electron–hole pairs. In the case of N_OV_Ti‐codoped TiO₂ (101) surfaces, this phenomenon is especially prominent. Finally, a feasible synthesis route for N_OV_Ti codoping into anatase TiO₂ is proposed.     

Understanding the synergistic effects,optical and electronic properties of ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO2 anatase within the DFT + U approach

Although TiO₂ is an efficient photocatalyst, its large band gap limits its photocatalytic activity only to the ultraviolet region. An experimentally synthesized ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ anatase showed improved visible light photocatalytic activity. However, a theoretical study of the underlying mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic activity and the interaction of ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ has not yet been investigated. In this study, the defect formation energy, electronic structure and optical property of TiO₂ doped with Fe, C, and S are investigated in detail using the density functional theory + U method. The calculated band gap (3.21 eV) of TiO₂ anatase agree well with the experimental band gap (3.20 eV). The defect formation energy shows that the co‐ and ternary‐doped systems are thermodynamically favorable under oxygen‐rich condition. Compared to the undoped TiO₂, the absorption edge of the mono‐, co‐, and ternary‐doped TiO₂ is significantly enhanced in the visible light region. We have shown that ternary doping with C, S, and Fe induces a clean band structure without any impurity states. Moreover, the ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic activity, a smaller band gap and negative formation energy compared to the mono‐ and co‐doped systems. Moreover, the band edges of Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ align well with the redox potentials of water, which shows that the ternary Fe/C/S‐doped TiO₂ is promising photocatalysts to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. These findings rationalize the available experimental results and can assist the design of TiO₂‐based photocatalyst materials.     

Electrochemical Fabrication and Properties of Highly Ordered Fe‐Doped TiO2 Nanotubes

Highly‐ordered Fe‐doped TiO₂ nanotubes (TiO₂nts) were fabricated by anodization of co‐sputtered Ti–Fe thin films in a glycerol electrolyte containing NH₄F. The as‐sputtered Ti–Fe thin films correspond to a solid solution of Ti and Fe according to X‐ray diffraction. The Fe‐doped TiO₂nts were studied in terms of composition, morphology and structure. The characterization included scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, UV/Vis spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis. As a result of the Fe doping, an indirect bandgap of 3.0 eV was estimated using Tauc’s plot, and this substantial red‐shift extends its photoresponse to visible light. From the Mott–Schottky analysis, the flat‐band potential (E_fb) and the charge carrier concentration (N_D) were determined to be ?0.95 V vs Ag/AgCl and 5.0 ×10¹⁹ cm^?3 respectively for the Fe‐doped TiO₂nts, whilst for the undoped TiO₂nts, E_fb of ?0.85 V vs Ag/AgCl and N_D of 6.5×10¹⁹ cm^?3 were obtained.     

The Influence of Defects on Mo‐Doped TiO2 by First‐Principles Studies

TiO₂ doped with transition metals shows improved photocatalytic efficiency. Herein the electronic and optical properties of Mo‐doped TiO₂ with defects are investigated by DFT calculations. For both rutile and anatase phases of TiO₂, the bandgap decreases continuously with increasing Mo doping level. The 4d electrons of Mo introduce localized states into the forbidden band of TiO₂, and this shifts the absorption edge into the visible‐light region and enhances the photocatalytic activity. Since defects are universally distributed in TiO₂ or doped TiO₂, the effect of oxygen deficiency due to oxygen vacancies or interstitial Mo atoms is systemically studied. Oxygen vacancies associated with the Mo dopant atoms or interstitial Mo will reduce the spin polarization and magnetic moment of Mo‐doped TiO₂. Moreover, oxygen deficiency has a negative impact on the improved photocatalytic activity of Mo‐doped TiO₂. The current results indicate that substitutional Mo, interstitial Mo, and oxygen vacancy have different impacts on the electronic/optical properties of TiO₂ and are suited to different applications.