title: Significant enhancement in the photocatalytic activity of N, W co-doped TiO2 nanomaterials for promising environmental applications.
abstract: In this work, a mesoporous N, W co-doped TiO(2) photocatalyst was synthesized via a one-step solution combustion method, which utilized urea as the nitrogen source and sodium tungstate as the tungsten source. The photocatalytic activity of the N, W co-doped TiO(2) photocatalyst was significantly enhanced by a facile UV pretreatment approach and was evaluated by measuring the rate of photodegradation of Rhodamine B under both UV and visible (λ > 420) light. Following the UV pretreatment, the UV photocatalytic activity of the N, W co-doped TiO(2) was doubled. In terms of visible light activity, the UV pretreatment resulted in an extraordinary >12 fold improvement. In order to gain insight into this substantial enhancement, the N, W co-doped TiO(2) photocatalysts were studied using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N(2) physisorption, UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy prior to and following the UV pretreatment. Our experimental results have revealed that this significant augmentation of photocatalytic activity may be attributed to several synergetic factors, including increase of the specific surface area, reduction of the band gap energy and the removal of carbon impurities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada.
authors.forename: Sapanbir S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Thind
authors.forename: Guosheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Aicheng
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008027:Light; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010782:Photolysis; D016062:Porosity; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014414:Tungsten / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012235:Rhodamines; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; C029773:rhodamine B; D009584:Nitrogen; D014414:Tungsten