Visible light-sensitive yellow TiO2-xNx and Fe-N co-doped Ti1-yFeyO2-xNx anatase photocatalysts

Abstract

Nitrogen substituted yellow colored anatase TiO2-xNx and Fe-N co-doped Ti(1-y)FeyO(2-x)N(x) have been easily synthesized by novel hydrazine method. White anatase TiO2-delta and N/Fe-N-doped samples are semiconducting and the presence of ESR signals at g similar to 1.994-2.0025 supports the oxygen vacancy and g similar to 4.3 indicates Fe3+ in the lattice. TiO2-xNx has higher conductivity than TiO2-x and Fe/Fe-N-doped anatase and the UV absorption edge of white TiO2-x extends in the visible region in N, Fe and Fe-N co-doped TiO2, which show, respectively, two band gaps at similar to 3.25/2.63, similar to 3.31/2.44 and 2.8/2.44eV. An activation energy of similar to 1.8eV is observed in Arrhenius log resistivity vs.I IT plots for all samples. All TiO2 and Fe-doped TiO2 show low 2-propanol photodegradation activity but have significant NO photodestruction capability, both in UV and visible regions, while standard Degussa P-25 is incapable in destroying NO in the visible region. The mid-gap levels that these N and Fe-N-doped TiO2 consist may cause this discrepancy in their photocatalytic activities.