Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalysts from Sensitized TiO₂ Nanospheres

Abstract:

Sensitized TiO₂ nanospheres with uniform diameter of ca. 100 nm were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method using urea as templates and subsequently employed as robust visible-light photocatalysts. The photocatalytic activities of the sensitized TiO₂ nanospheres evaluated by photodegrading methyl orange (MO) were recorded, giving the best photocatalytic performance for the sample synthesized at 110°C for 36 h. The photocatalytic mechanisms of the sensitized TiO₂ nanospheres were attributed to the reduction of bandgap energies and the sensitizing effect of melon. The resultant melon acted as a sensitizer to absorb visible light and induced electrons which participated in the photodegradation of MO molecules. The new concept was helpful to guide the synthesis of robust photocatalysts, dye-sensitized solar cells, or hybrid solar cells, and the results suggested that the sensitized TiO₂ nanospheres were very promising for enhancing the visible-light photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ photocatalysts.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 814)
• Pages: 31-38
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.814.31
• Online since: March 2015
• Authors: Xiao Yu Xu, Meng Wang, Lin Lin*, Dan Nong He
• Keywords: Dye Sensitization, Photocatalyst, Semiconductor, TiO₂ Nanostructure

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