title: A visible light-responsive iodine-doped titanium dioxide nanosphere.
abstract: I-doped titanium dioxide nanospheres (I-TNSs) were synthesized via a two-step hydrothermal synthesis route, their potential for the efficient utilization of visible light was evaluated. The prepared anatase-phase I-TNSs had a bimodal porous size distribution with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 76 m2/g, a crystallite size of approximately 14 nm calculated from X-ray diffraction data, and a remarkable absorption in the visible light region at wavelengths > 400 nm. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by decoloration of Methyl Orange in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation in comparison to the iodine-doped TiO2 (I-TiO2). The I-TNSs showed higher photocatalytic efficiency compared with I-TiO2 after irradiation for 180 min even though the latter had a much greater surface area (115 m2/g). It was concluded that the surface area was not the predominant factor determining photocatalytic activity, and that the good crystallization and bimodal porous nanosphere structure were favourable for photocatalysis.
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, China. zqhe@jzut.edu.cn
authors.forename: Zhiqiao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Liyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Fangyue
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zhengying
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mantong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D003116:Color; D007455:Iodine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; C009495:titanium dioxide; C100258:methyl orange; D007455:Iodine; D014025:Titanium