Influence of N-doping on the structure and electronic properties of titania nanoparticle photocatalysts.
N-containing TiO(2)-based nanostructured materials (average particle size approximately 10 nm) with an anatase-type structure were investigated using oxygen (O) K-edge and titanium (Ti) K- and L-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES). The Ti K pre-edge features indicate that samples predominantly contain ([6])Ti with some ([5])Ti, and there is no evidence for ([4])Ti. We observed that those samples with a larger fraction of Ti in a fivefold coordination, that is, with a significant number of oxygen vacancies, also present a modified Ti environment at the medium-range scale. The presence of these defects drastically modifies the electronic structure of the conduction band, as evidenced by the O K XANES spectra, but does not result in the presence of reduced Ti(3+) states. We discuss the influence of N-doping on titania nanoparticles and their structure, electronics and photocatalytic activity.
Stewart
Silvana J
SJ
Departamento de Física, Fac. Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata and IFLP (CONICET), C. C. 67 - 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
Fernandez-García
Marcos
M
Belver
Carolina
C
Mun
B Simon
BS
Requejo
Félix G
FG