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Title: Preparation of porous nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide microspheres and a study of their photocatalytic, antibacterial and electrochemical activities

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
 [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. College of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065 (China)
  2. College of Materials and Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China)

Graphical abstract: Porous N-doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres were prepared for the first time via plasma technique. The sample exhibited better photocatalytic activity, photoinduced inactivation activity and better electrochemical activity than those of TiO{sub 2} microspheres and P25. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Porous N-doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres were prepared via nitrogen plasma technique. ► Plasma treatment did not affect the porous structure of the TiO{sub 2} microspheres. ► With the plasma treatment, the N contents in the samples increased. ► Their photocatalytic, antibacterial and electrochemical activities were studied. -- Abstract: Nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (N-doped TiO{sub 2}) microspheres with porous structure were prepared via the nitrogen-assisted glow discharge plasma technique at room temperature for the first time. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicated that the plasma treatment did not affect the porous structure of the TiO{sub 2} microspheres. With the plasma treatment, the N contents in the samples increased. During the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under simulative sunlight irradiation, the sample after plasma treatment for 60 min (N-TiO{sub 2}-60) exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than those of the TiO{sub 2} microspheres, P25 and other N-doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres. Furthermore, the N-TiO{sub 2}-60 showed excellent antibacterial activities towards Escherichia coli under visible irradiation. These should be attributed to the enhancement of the visible light region absorption for TiO{sub 2} after N-doping. Electrochemical data demonstrated that the N-doping not only enhanced the electrochemical activity of TiO{sub 2}, but also improved the reversibility of Li insertion/extraction reactions and the rate behavior of TiO{sub 2} during charge–discharge cycles.

OSTI ID:
22215700
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 47, Issue 12; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English