title: ZrO2-modified mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2-xNx as efficient visible light photocatalysts.
abstract: Mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2-xNx and TiO2-xNx/ZrO2 visible-light photocatalysts have been prepared by a sol-gel method. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, XPS, UV/Vis, and IR spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by the decomposition of ethylene in air under visible light (lambda > 450 nm) illumination. Results revealed that nitrogen was doped into the lattice of TiO2 by the thermal treatment of NH3-adsorbed TiO2 hydrous gels, converting the TiO2 into a visible-light responsive catalyst. The introduction of ZrO2 into TiO2-xNx considerably inhibits the undesirable crystal growth during calcination. Consequently, the ZrO2-modified TiO2-xNx displays higher porosity, higher specific surface area, and an improved thermal stability over the corresponding unmodified TiO2-xNx samples.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Photocatalysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002, China. xcwang@fzu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xinchen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jimmy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yilin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xianzhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003460:Crystallization; D008027:Light; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010777:Photochemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D015040:Zirconium; D014025:Titanium; C028541:zirconium oxide