Enhanced optical and photo catalytic properties of V and La co doped TiO2 nanoparticles

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2017-05, Vol.28 (9), p.6426-6434
• Main Authors: Ilkhechi, Nasrollah Najibi, Ghobadi, Nader, Akbarpour, Mohammad Reza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Materials Science; Optical and Electronic Materials
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-016-6328-x

To enhance the visible photo-catalytic activity of TiO 2 , La/V co-doped TiO 2 materials were synthesized through a nonaqueous method of which the purpose was to reduce the aggregation between TiO 2 particles. Different samples of La and V co-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared through simple sol–gel synthesis method by using Vanadium(III) chloride as V precursor, Lanthanum(III) chloride heptahydrate as La precursor, and titanium (IV) butoxide (TBT) as titanium precursor. The effects of co-doping content on the structural, optical, and photo-catalytic properties of nanoparticles have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, SEM and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. XRD results suggest that adding impurities has a great effect on the crystallinity and particle size of TiO 2 . Titania rutile phase formation in ternary system (Ti–La–V) was inhibited by La 3+ and promoted by V 4+ co-doped TiO 2 in high concentration of vanadium and 22.6 mol% anatase composition is retained at 15% vanadium. The photocatalyst activity was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation kinetics of aqueous methylen orange under visible radiation. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of the 10 mol% V and 5 mol% La co-doped TiO 2 nanopowders has a larger degradation efficiency than pure TiO 2 under visible light.