Title: Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of (S, N)-codoped TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanotubes with high N and S contents

Authors: H-Y. He

Addresses: College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, 710021, China

Abstract: (N, S)-codoped TiO₂ nanotubes were fabricated by hydrothermally treating (N, S)-codoped TiO₂ nanoparticles in a NaOH solution at 110°C for 20 h. The (N, S)-codoped TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesised by a solvothermal process with precursor solution containing titanium sulphate, thiourea, and dichloroethane. The (N, S)-codoped TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanotubes were characterised with X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and UV-vis. spectrophotometry. The nitrogen contents of the (N, S)-codoped TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanotubes were reached to high values of 13.8 at.% and 12.9 at.%, and the sulphur contents were reached to 40.1 at.% and 40.6 at.%. This narrowed the band gaps of the nanoparticles and nanotubes and introduced indirect band gaps, and so respectively resulted in the extensions of the absorption edges to visible light and infrared region. The nanotubes shown larger specific surface area (3.4 times) and greater degradation efficiency to methyl orange than the nanoparticles.

Keywords: semiconductors; chemical synthesis; TEM; optical properties; catalytic properties; nanoparticles; photocatalytic activity; TiO2; nanotubes; nanotechnology; titanium dioxide; titania; nitrogen; sulphur; methyl orange; degradation efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNP.2013.057179

International Journal of Nanoparticles, 2013 Vol.6 No.4, pp.338 - 349

Received: 06 Sep 2012
Accepted: 20 Apr 2013
Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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