A Novel Method To Prepare B/N Codoped Anatase TiO2

Abstract

B/N codoping is an effective way to narrow the band gap of TiO2 to enhance the photocatalytic activity. However, the traditional doping method using ammonia as N source is still unsatisfactory because of its safety risks and high cost. In this work, a benign and cost-effective method has been developed to prepare the B/N codoped TiO2. First, we use TiB2 as the raw material to prepare B-doped TiO2 via a hydrothermal method followed by heat treatment. Then the B/N codoped TiO2 can be simply produced by annealing the mixture of the as-prepared B-doped TiO2 and urea. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that the samples present anatase structure and spherical morphology. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicates that B and N atoms exist not only on the surface but also in the bulk. Moreover, the content of N atoms decreases with the depth in the sample while Ti3+ content gradually increases with the depth. The UV–vis absorption spectrum shows an extension of light absorption into the full visible region. More importantly, the B/N codoped TiO2 exhibits promoted photocatalytic activity under both UV and visible light than the B-doped TiO2.