Photocatalytic Activity of Solar-Light-Active N-Doped TiO₂ by Sol-Gel Combustion Method

Abstract:

The present work was dedicated to the tailored synthesis of TiO₂ nanopowders doped with nitrogen (called TiO_2−xN_x ) for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. In particular, the systems were synthesized by a sol-gel combustion route starting from nitric acid and tetrabutyl titanate (Ti (OC₄H₉)₄) as raw materials. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), suggesting that anatase phase is obtained at pH value of 4-6 and the heat-treated temperatures as low as 425°C. The photocatalytic activities of the N-doped TiO₂ nanopowders were monitored from the results of the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) under solar light irradiation. The dependence of dye degradation rate on photocatalyst amount and initial pH was investigated. Under solar light irradiation, the TiO₂ doped with 30% N exhibited the highest photocatalytic reactivity, which could be attributed to the structure of the combustion-synthesized catalyst and the change of the bandgap induced by nitrogen inclusion.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 809-810)
• Pages: 800-806
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.809-810.800
• Online since: December 2014
• Authors: Xian Du*, Hui Ling Du, Xiang Shi, Jin Wang, Jiao Jiao He
• Keywords: N-Doping, Photocatalytic Activity, Sol-Gel Combustion, TiO₂

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