Photocatalytic properties of N-doped TiO2. the effect of the synthesis procedure

Abstract

TiO2 is the most frequently employed photocatalyst in realising complete mineralization of organic pollutants in water treatment. Its large bandgap energy necessitates though UV excitation to induce charge separation within the particle. Nitrogen doped into substitutional sites of TiO2 has shown bandgap narrowing and photocatalytic activity in the visible light. N-doped and non-doped mesoporous titania were synthesized using hydrothermal and ultrasound methods. Titanium-tetraisopropoxide was used as Ti precursor. UV-VIS and N2 adsorbtion-desorbtion techniques were used to investigate the structure, morphology and optical properties of these photocatalysts. The photocatalytic activity of mesoporous titania was studied by different dyes photoreactions.