Improvement and Red Shift Toward Visible Spectrum of TiO₂ Nanofibers through Doping by Fe₂O₃ and Nitrogen

Abstract:

TiO₂ has many applications as photocatalyst, photo/electrochromic device, solar cell and sensors. It has been activated only by UV light. In this research we have been investigated on the effect of adding Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles and N on the absorption spectrum in order to increase their activity and shift toward visible light for TiO₂ nanofibers. We used electrospining method to fabricate nanofibers. Sol gel for spinning pure nanofibers contains Titanium tetraisopropoxide (C₁₂H₂₈O₄Ti), acetic acid (CH₃COOH), ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and PVP (C₆H₉NO-12 wt.% ). Then we used Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle (size: 2040 nm, purity: 98%) and HNO₃ acid for doping. Among Fe₂O₃-doped samples, the 2.1 wt% Fe₂O₃ indicated the highest activity for visible light, while with HNO₃, excellent photo-catalyst activity obtained at 1.5wt% Fe₂O₃ and 5 wt% HNO₃(purity :65%). The final solutions were stacked into the syringe and joined to a high voltage DC supply. A piece of glass stacked on aluminum foilwas used as collector. Finally nanofibers calcined at 500°C. FESEM, XRD and Spectrophotometry techniques were employed to deliberation nanofibers. Diameter of the fibers was approximately 100 nm (anatase: 77%). The Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃-N-TiO₂ nanofibers indicated respectively 50% and 80% growth in absorption intensities under visible light irradiation compared to pure nanofiber and absorption spectrum peak moved towards larger wavelengths (70 and 100nm) when TiO₂ doped with Fe₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃-N. Keywords:Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle; nitrogen; red shift; TiO₂nanofiber; UV-visible irradiation.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 829)
• Pages: 717-721
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.829.717
• Online since: November 2013
• Authors: Nahideh Salehifar, Alireza Nikfarjam*
• Keywords: Fe₂O₃ Nano-Particle, Nitrogen, Red Shift, TiO₂ Nano-Fiber, UV-Visible Irradiation

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