Application of an Ion Beam Technique for the Design of Visible Light-Sensitive, Highly Efficient and Highly Selective Photocatalysts: Ion-Implantation and Ionized Cluster Beam Methods

As a new concept for the design of effective photocatalysts, an ion beam technology using accelerated metal ions, a metal ion implantation and an ionized cluster beam (ICB) method, have been applied to design unique photocatalysts. The metal ion implantation of TiO₂ and Ti-containing zeolites with highly accelerated metal ions (V⁺, Cr⁺, etc.) is useful in designing photocatalysts that can operate efficiently under visible light irradiation. Also, an ICB method with a low acceleration energy is useful in preparing transparent TiO₂ thin films on various types of substrates for the efficient photocatalytic degradation of pollutants diluted in water and air. The combination of the ICB method and metal ion implantation can develop the TiO₂ thin films that are able to operate not only under UV light but also under visible light irradiation.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel InVO<Subscript>4</Subscript>–TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin films using the low temperature sol

The InVO₄ sol was obtained by a mild hydrothermal treatment (the precursor precipitation solution at 423 K, for 4 h). Novel visible-light activated photocatalytic InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films were synthesized through a sol–gel dipping method from the composite sol, which was obtained by mixing the low temperature InVO₄ sol and TiO₂ sol. The photocatalytic activities of the new InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films under visible light irradiation were investigated by the photocatalytic discoloration of methyl orange aqueous solution. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The results revealed that the InVO₄ doped thin films enhanced the methyl orange degradation rate under visible light irradiation, 3.0 wt% InVO₄–TiO₂ thin films reaching 80.1% after irradiated for 15 h.     

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation

Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ composite nanoparticles with different doping amounts were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultravioletvisible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was used as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ nanoparticles under visible light irradiation. The influence of doping amount of Fe³⁺ (ω: 0.00%–3.00%) on photocatalytic activities of TiO₂ was investigated. Results show that the size of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ particles decreases with the increase of the amount of Fe³⁺ and their absorption spectra are broaden and absorption intensities are also increased. Doping Fe³⁺ can control the conversion of TiO₂ from anatase to rutile. The doping amount of Fe³⁺ remarkably affects the activity of the catalyst, and the optimum efficiency occurs at about the doping amount of 0.3%. The appropriate doping of Fe³⁺ can markedly increase the catalytic activity of TiO₂ under visible light irradiation. __________ Translated from Journal of Northwest Normal University (Natural Science), 2006, 42(6): 55–56 [译自: 西北师范大学学报(自然科学版)]     

Preparation and characterization of silver and indium vanadate co-doped TiO2 thin films as visible-light-activated photocatalyst

Novel visible-light-activated photocatalytic Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ thin films were developed in this paper through a sol-gel method from the TiO₂ sol containing Ag and InVO₄. The photocatalytic activities of Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ thin films were investigated based on the oxidation decomposition of methyl orange in aqueous solution. The Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ thin films were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis). The results revealed that the Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ thin films extended the light absorption spectrum toward the visible region; the Ag and InVO₄ co-doped thin films significantly enhanced the methyl orange photodegradation under visible light irradiation. It has been confirmed that the Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ thin films could be excited by visible light (E < 3.2 eV). The significant enhancement in the Ag/InVO₄-TiO₂ photo activity under visible light irradiation can be ascribed to the simultaneous effects of doped noble metal Ag by acting as electron traps and InVO₄ as narrow band gap sensitizer.     

Ion engineering techniques for the preparation of the highly effective TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> photocatalysts operating under visible light irradiation

The successful application of ion engineering techniques for the development of TiO₂ photocatalysts operating under visible and/or solar light irradiations has been summarized in this review article. First, we have physically doped various transition metal ions within a TiO₂ lattice on an atomic level by using an advanced metal ion implantation method. The metal ion implanted TiO₂ could efficiently work as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Some field tests under solar light irradiation clearly revealed that the Cr or V ions implanted TiO₂ samples showed 2–3 times higher photocatalytic reactivity than the un-implanted TiO₂. Second, we have developed the visible light responsive TiO₂ thin film photocatalyst by a single process using an RF-magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) deposition method. The vis-type TiO₂ thin films showed high photocatalytic reactivity for various reactions such as reduction of NOx, degradation of organic compounds, and splitting of H₂O under visible and/or solar light irradiations.     

PVA在提高TiO2/CdSe异质结光催化活性与抗光腐蚀性能方面的应用及机理

通过阳极氧化法和电化学沉积制备了TiO_2/CdSe异质结膜,并通过旋涂结合后续热处理的方法,在TiO_2/CdSe异质结膜上制备适量脱水态的聚乙烯醇(PVA)来提高TiO_2/CdSe异质结抗光腐蚀性能。采用XRD,SEM,FTIR,UV-Vis,PL,电化学测试,光催化降解罗丹明B等方法对样品的晶体结构、微观形貌、光电化学性能、光催化性能等进行了表征,并通过测定光降解体系中Cd2+的浓度,研究了纳米复合材料的抗光腐蚀性能。结果表明,与TiO_2/CdSe相比,TiO_2/CdSe/PVA纳米复合材料不仅具有更好的可见光光催化活性,还具有良好的可见光光催化稳定性和抗光腐蚀性能。同时,PVA的存在对光催化反应中的二次污染物Cd2+也有抑制作用。     

Characterization and photocatalytic activity of Fe- and N-co-deposited TiO2 and first-principles study for electronic structure

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂), co-deposited with Fe and N, is first implanted with Fe by a metal plasma ion implantation (MPII) process and then annealed in N₂ atmosphere at a temperature regime of 400-600 °C. First-principle calculations show that the (Fe, N) co-deposited TiO₂ films produced additional band gap levels at the bottom of the conduction band (CB) and on the top of the valence band (VB). The (Fe, N) co-deposited TiO₂ films were effective in both prohibiting electron-hole recombination and generating additional Fe-O and N-Ti-O impurity levels for the TiO₂ band gap. The (Fe, N) co-deposited TiO₂ has a narrower band gap of 1.97 eV than Fe-implanted TiO₂ (3.14 eV) and N-doped TiO₂ (2.16 eV). A significant reduction of TiO₂ band gap energy from 3.22 to 1.97 eV was achieved, which resulted in the extension of photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ from UV to Vis regime. The photocatalytic activity and removal rate were approximately two-fold higher than that of the Fe-implanted TiO₂ under visible light irradiation.     

Preparation of nanocrystalline Fe-doped TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> powders as a visible-light-responsive photocatalyst

Nanocrystalline Fe-doped TiO₂ powders were prepared using TiOSO₄, urea, and Fe(NO₃)₃ · 9H₂O as precursors through a hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized yellowish-colored powders are composed of anatase TiO₂, identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The grain size ranged from 9.7 to 12.1 nm, calculated by Scherrer’s method. The specific surface area ranged from 141 to 170 m²/g, obtained by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrograph of the sample shows that the diameter of the grains is uniformly distributed at about 10 nm, which is consistent with that calculated by Scherrer’s method. Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ have been detected on the surface of TiO₂ powders by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectra indicate that the light absorption thresholds of the Fe-doped TiO₂ powders have been red-shifted into the visible light region. The photocatalytic activity of the Fe-doped TiO₂ was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The Fe-doped TiO₂ powders have shown good visible-light photocatalytic activities and the maximum degradation ratio is achieved within 4.5 h.     

Preparation of N-doped and oxygen-deficient TiO2 microspheres via a novel electron beam-assisted method

Nitrogen-doped and oxygen-deficient TiO₂ microspheres (NT) with large specific surface were prepared by a solvothermal method and following with electron beam (EB) irradiation under various doses (140–500 kGy). XPS results show that under the EB irradiation, nitrogen ions have been doped into the TiO₂ lattice successfully, as well as part of Ti⁴⁺ on the surface of the samples changed to Ti³⁺. Photocatalytic performance was tested by decomposing Rhodamine B in the aqueous phase under visible light irradiation. The prepared materials under the EB irradiation at dose of 140 kGy (NT-140) exhibit the best visible light photocatalytic activity. It is attributed to the large specific surface (138.4 m²/g) and a synergistic effect between substitutional nitrogen dopants and oxygen defects in NT-140. The results obtained may provide a new sight for the application of EB-assisted preparation of nanomaterials.     

High photocatalytic activity and stability for decomposition of gaseous acetaldehyde on TiO2/Al2O3 composite films coated on foam nickel substrates by sol-gel processes

A set of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films coated on foam nickel that modified by Al₂O₃ films as transition layer (indicated as TiO₂/Al₂O₃ films) were synthesized via sol-gel route. The bulk and surface properties of the TiO₂/Al₂O₃ films were characterized by thermal gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and BET. The photocatalytic activities of TiO₂/Al₂O₃ films were investigated based on the degradation of gaseous acetaldehyde under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The foam nickel is a promising substrate material in practical applications because of its excellent hydrodynamic properties for gas passing. The TiO₂/Al₂O₃ composite films showed much higher photocatalytic activity and stability for degradation of gaseous acetaldehyde than the onefold TiO₂ films. The significant enhancement in photocatalytic activity and stability can be ascribed to the coating of Al₂O₃ transition layer, which concentrates the target substances around TiO₂ particles and increases the specific surface area (SSA) of the substrate (the SSAs of bare foam nickel and Al₂O₃ modified foam nickel are 0.12 and 113.7 m²/g, respectively) to provide more sites for TiO₂ loading.     

Microstructures and photocatalytic properties of Ag and La surface codoped TiO2 films prepared by sol–gel method

Ag⁺ and La³⁺ surface codoped TiO₂ films were successfully prepared by the improved sol–gel and doping processes. The as-prepared specimens were characterized using differential thermal analysis-thermogravimetry (DTA–TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, Photoluminescence spectrum (PL) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the films were evaluated by degradation of an organic dye in aqueous solution. The results of XRD, FE-SEM and BET analyses indicated that the TiO₂ films were composed of nano-particles or aggregates with a size of less than 10 nm. With the codoping of Ag⁺ and La³⁺, TiO₂ films with high photocatalytic activity and clearly responsive to the visible light were obtained. The improvement mechanism by ions doping was also discussed.     

Defect induced nickel,nitrogen-codoped mesoporous TiO2 microspheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

Nickel, nitrogen-codoped mesoporous TiO₂ microspheres (Ni–N–TiO₂) with high surface area, and an effective direct band gap energy of ∼2.58 eV. Nickel sulfate used as the Ni source and ammonia gas as the N source here. The efficiency of the as-prepared samples was investigated by monitoring the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. The experimental results indicate that Ni-doped mesoporous TiO₂ microspheres show higher photocatalytic activity than mesoporous TiO₂ microspheres under visible light irradiation. It mainly due to that the electron trap level (Ni²⁺/Ni⁺) promoting the separation of charge carriers and the oxygen vacancies inducing the visible light absorption. In addition, Ni–N–TiO₂ shows enhanced activity compared with Ni–TiO₂. Codopants and dopants are found to be uniformly distributed in TiO₂ matrix. Among the all samples the 0.5% molar quantity of Ni dopant and 500 °C 2 h nitriding condition gives the highest photocatalytic activity. The treatment of ammonia gas on Ni–TiO₂ sample induced oxygen vancancies, substitutional and interstitial N. A suitable treatment by ammonia gas also promote separation of charge carriers and the absorption of visible light. The active species generated in the photocatalytic system were also investigated. The strategy presented here gives a promising route towards the development of a metal and non-metal codoped semiconductor materials for applied photocatalysis and related applications.     

应用射线束制备可见光响应的TiO2薄膜

 由溶胶-凝胶法制备了TiO2薄膜. 为了改善TiO2对光的利用效率,采用过渡金属离子(V+和Cr+)注入和电子束辐照沉积贵金属纳米颗粒(Ag和Pt)两种射线束技术对TiO2薄膜进行改性. 紫外-可见光谱表明,两种射线束技术改性的TiO2薄膜的吸收光谱都发生了红移,说明这两种方法都是拓展TiO2吸收光谱的有效手段. 通过光催化降解甲基橙实验,比较了两种方法对TiO2可见光光催化能力的拓展情况,结果表明,两种方法均可显著提高TiO2在可见光作用下的光催化活性.     

ESR study on the visible photocatalytic mechanism of nitrogen-doped novel TiO2: Synergistic effect of two kinds of oxygen vacancies

The visible photocatalytic mechanism of nitrogen-doped novel TiO₂ was studied by means of electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). It was found that, under visible light irradiation, the concentration of single-electron-trapped oxygen vacancy (SETOV, V_o^•) of novel TiO₂ remained unchanged, but that of nitrogen-doped novel TiO₂ increased and returned to original state when the light was turned off. This implies that, aside from V_o^• in bulk of nitrogen-doped novel TiO₂, oxygen vacancy without trapped electron (V_o^••) was formed on its surface. V_o^•• as a surface electron trap captured photogenerated electron from the bulk to generate extra V_o^•, carrying out photocatalytic reaction on the surface. At the same time, nitrogen doping product NO was chemically adsorbed on the vicinity of V_o^•• and inhibited the attack of oxygen, allowing V_o^•• to remain stable in air. The synergistic action of the two kinds of active structures, i.e., bulk V_o^•–NO–Ti and surface V_o^••–NO–Ti, accounted for the visible photocatalytic activity of N-doped novel TiO₂.     

Effects of electron beam irradiation on the photoelectrochemical properties of TiO2 film for DSSCs

TiO₂ has been widely utilized for various industrial applications such as photochemical cells, photocatalysts, and electrochromic devices. The crystallinity and morphology of TiO₂ films play a significant role in determining the overall efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study, the preparation of nanostructured TiO₂ films by electron beam irradiation and their characterization were investigated for the application of DSSCs. TiO₂ films were exposed to 20–100 kGy of electron beam irradiation using 1.14 MeV energy acceleration with a 7.46 mA beam current and 10 kGy/pass dose rates. These samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. After irradiation, each TiO₂ film was tested as a DSSC. At low doses of electron beam irradiation (20 kGy), the energy conversion efficiency of the film was approximately 4.0% under illumination of simulated sunlight with AM 1.5 G (100 mW/cm²). We found that electron beam irradiation resulted in surface modification of the TiO₂ films, which could explain the observed increase in the conversion efficiency in irradiated versus non-irradiated films.     

Ag3PO4/Ag2S/g-C3N4复合光催化剂的制备与性能

通过沉积法和离子交换法成功地制备了Ag_3PO_4/Ag_2S/g-C_3N_4复合型光催化剂。利用X射线多晶粉末衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、N_2吸附-脱附等温线、紫外-可见漫反射光谱、荧光光谱等手段对样品进行了表征。通过降解罗丹明B考察其可见光催化活性及稳定性,研究了硫化钠与磷酸银物质的量的比值(n_(Na_2S)/n_(Ag_3PO_4))、g-C_3N_4添加量对所制备复合光催化材料性能的影响,同时对光催化机理进行了探讨。结果表明,随着n_(Na2S)/n_(Ag3PO4)的增加,所得复合催化材料活性先增加后降低;当n_(Na2S)/n_(Ag_3PO_4)为1.5%、g-C_3N_4与Ag_3PO_4的质量比为3∶7时制备的催化剂ASC1.5的光催化活性最好,在可见光照射下,40 min内可将罗丹明B完全降解,且5次循环使用后仍保持较高的催化活性。和Ag_3PO_4相比,Ag_3PO_4/Ag_2S/g-C_3N_4复合型光催化材料的活性与稳定性都得到明显提高,这主要归因于复合催化剂比表面积和孔结构的增加,载流子分离效率的提高。光催化机理研究表明,空穴(h~+)、超氧阴离子自由基(·O~(2-))和羟基自由基(·OH)都是光催化过程中的主要活性物种。三者作用大小依次为:h~+·O~(2-)·OH。     

UV-sensitized nanomaterial semiconductor catalytic reduction of Co<Superscript>III</Superscript>(N–N)<Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>3+</Superscript>/nm-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and Co:TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> formation: SEM-EDX and HRTEM analyses

Interfacial electron transfer induced by 254 nm light at nanomaterial (nm) titanium dioxide/Co^III(N–N)₃ ³⁺ interface in binary mixed solvent media such as water/methanol (or 1,4-dioxane) has been probed. The distinct photo reduction of cobalt(III) complexes, Co^III(N–N)₃ ³⁺; (N–N)=(NH₃)₂, en (1,2-diamino ethane), pn (1,2-diamino propane), tn (1,3-diamino propane), and bn (1,4-diamino butane), by excited nm-TiO₂ particles: Co^III + nm-TiO₂ + hν → TiO₂ (h⁺;e⁻) + Co^III → nm-TiO₂ (h) + Co^II is solvent controlled. The electron transfer from the conduction band of TiO₂ (e⁻, CB) onto the metal centre of the complex consists of (i) electron transport from CB into surface-adsorbed species A: Co^III(N–N)₃ ³⁺ (ii) solution phase species B: Co^III(N–N)₃ ³⁺ _(sol.), accumulated at the surface of the nanoparticle. In addition, UV irradiation of Co^III(N–N)₃ ³⁺ stimulates generation of \textCo_\textaq^\textII {\text{Co}}_{\text{aq}}^{\text{II}} ion, due to charge transfer transition, in solution phase. After UV irradiation, cobalt-implanted nm-TiO₂ separated as gray ultrafine particles, which were isolated. Photo efficiency of the formation of Co^II ion was estimated and the cobalt implanted nanomaterial crystals isolated from the photolyte solutions were subjected to SEM-EDX, X-ray mapping, and HRTEM-SAED analyses. Solvent medium was found to contribute in both the formation of Co^II ion and interstitial insertion of cobalt into the lattice of nm-TiO₂.     

Structural characterization and photocatalytic properties of novel Bi<Subscript>2</Subscript>FeVO<Subscript>7</Subscript>

Bi₂FeVO₇ was prepared by a solid-state reaction technique for the first time and the structural and photocatalytic properties of Bi₂FeVO₇ were studied. The results shows that this compound crystallized in the tetragonal crystal system with space group I4/mmm. Moreover, the band gap of Bi₂FeVO₇ was estimated to be about 2.22(6) eV. For the photocatalytic water splitting reaction, H₂ or O₂ evolution was observed from pure water with Bi₂FeVO₇ as the photocatalyst by ultraviolet light irradiation. Degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB) dye by photocatalytic way over this compound was further studied under visible light irradiation. Bi₂FeVO₇ shows higher catalytic activity compared to TiO₂ (P-25) for MB photocatalytic degradation under visible light irradiation. Complete removal of aqueous MB was realized after visible light irradiation for 170 min with Bi₂FeVO₇ as the photocatalyst. The reduction of the total organic carbon (TOC) and the formation of inorganic products, SO ₄ ²⁻ and NO ₃ ⁻ revealed the continuous mineralization of aqueous MB during the photocatalytic course.     

Influence of support acidity on electronic state of platinum in oxide systems promoted by SO4 2− anions

The electronic state of platinum supported on SO₄/ZrO₂, SO₄/TiO₂, SO₄/Al₂O₃, and SO₄/SiO₂ systems and on systems unpromoted by sulfur was investigated by diffuse-reflectance IR spectroscopy using CO as the probe molecule. The introduction of SO₄ ²⁻ anions increases the electron deficit on platinum particles. This suppresses the formation of bridging CO complexes with the metal, leads to the high-frequency shift of absorption maxima of CO adsorbed in the linear form, and stabilizes positively charged metal species (Pt^δ+ and Pt⁺) during the reduction process. The formation of the positively charged species includes the interaction between the acidic protons and the metal particles yielding [Pt−H]^δ+ adducts. The extent of the influence of the support on the electronic state of the metal increases in the series SO₄/SiO₂<SO₄/Al₂O₃<SO₄/TiO₂<SO₄/ZrO₂ in parallel with an increase in the strength of the acid sites in the system. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1094–1099, June, 1998.     

光催化剂Sm2FeSbO7的制备及光物理和光催化性能表征

首次采用固相反应法制备了新型光催化剂Sm₂FeSbO₇,有效地降解了水中有机污染物。利用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、X射线光电子能谱、傅里叶变换红外光谱、透射电子显微镜和紫外－可见光谱仪对Sm₂FeSbO₇的结构和光催化性能进行了表征。Sm₂FeSbO₇为烧绿石型结构,立方晶系和空间群Fd3m结晶。Sm₂FeSbO₇的晶格参数a为1.035 434 nm。Sm₂FeSbO₇的带隙经估算为2.46 eV。用Sm₂FeSbO₇作为光催化剂在可见光照射下降解靛蓝胭脂红,并与氮掺杂TiO₂对比。结果表明,与掺氮TiO₂相比,Sm₂FeSbO₇在可见光照射下光催化降解靛蓝胭脂红显示出较高的光催化活性。总有机碳的减少,无机产物的逐渐形成,SO₄^2-和NO₃^-以及CO₂的演变揭示了在光催化过程中靛蓝胭脂红的连续矿化。检测了一些来自光催化降解靛蓝胭脂红的中间体,如邻硝基苯甲酸和邻硝基苯甲醛,并获得了可能的靛蓝胭脂红光催化降解路径。