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Title: Structure and high photocatalytic activity of (N, Ta)-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4961718· OSTI ID:22597637
; ; ;  [1];  [2]; ;  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18-Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam)
  2. Center for Quantum Electronics, Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi (Viet Nam)
  3. Institut des Sciences Moleculaires d'Orsay, CNRS, Univ Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France)
  4. Synchrotron Light Research Institute, 111 University Avenue, Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000 (Thailand)

A hydrothermal method was used to prepare three nano-crystalline samples of TiO{sub 2} (S1), N-doped TiO{sub 2} (S2), and (N, Ta)-codoped TiO{sub 2} (S3) with average crystallite sizes (D) of 13–25 nm. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed a single phase of the samples with a tetragonal/anatase structure. A slight increase in the lattice parameters was observed when N and/or Ta dopants were doped into the TiO{sub 2} host lattice. Detailed analyses of extended X-ray absorption spectra indicated that N- and/or Ta-doping into TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles influenced the co-ordination number and radial distance (R) of Ti ions in the anatase structure. Concerning their absorption spectra, (N, Ta)-doping narrowed the band gap (E{sub g}) of TiO{sub 2} from 3.03 eV for S1 through 2.94 eV for S2 to 2.85 eV for S3. Such results revealed the applicability of these nanoparticles in the photocatalytic field working in the ultraviolet (UV)-visible region. Among these, photocatalytic activity of S3 was the strongest. By using S3 as a catalyst powder, the degradation efficiency of methylene blue solution was about 99% and 93% after irradiation of UV-visible light for 75 min and visible-light for 180 min, respectively.

OSTI ID:
22597637
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 120, Issue 14; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English