Identification of carbon sensitization for the visible-light photocatalytic titanium oxide

Journal Article · Thu Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3278514· OSTI ID:22053734

Chen, Y J; Jhan, G Y; Cai, G L; Lin, C S; Wong, M S; Ke, S -C; Lo, H H; Cheng, C L; Shyue, J -J ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Dong Hwa University, Shoufeng, Hualien 97401, Taiwan and Graduate Institute of Optoelectronics Engineering, Shoufeng, Hualien 97401, Taiwan (China)

The authors successfully synthesized titanium oxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanopowder with visible-light photocatalytic ability by low-pressure flat-flame metal organic chemical vapor condensation method. In order to confirm that carbon doping is a viable mechanism for the visible-light absorption of the powder prepared by this method, they modify the process by total exclusion of nitrogen usage to eliminate the nitrogen doping possibility. Since nitrogen is avoided in the process, the visible-light absorption cannot be due to nitrogen doping. They also found that the nanopowder formed has a single phase of anatase. Thus the nanopowder does not have anatase/rutile interface, and the authors can eliminate the possibility of visible-light absorption by the anatase/rutile interface. The visible-light absorption should thus be resort to the carbon doping. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies show the presence of several carbon related bonds except Ti-C bond. This suggests that the carbon does not incorporate into the TiO{sub 2} crystal and should locate on the surface of the nanopowder. Thus the carbon species act as a visible-light sensitizer for the TiO{sub 2} as a photocatalyst. Among all carbon bonds the C-C bond is believed to be responsible for the light absorption, since all other carbon related bonds are not chromophores. The visible-light TiO{sub 2} photocatalysis induced by carbon doping is confirmed and explained.

• OSTI ID: 22053734
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 28, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2010 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
CARBON
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTALS
NANOSTRUCTURES
NITROGEN
ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCATALYSIS
POWDERS
RUTILE
SENSITIZERS
TITANIUM OXIDES
VAPOR CONDENSATION
VISIBLE RADIATION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY