Abstract
Doping TiO2 photocatalysts with foreign ions has been deemed an effective method to enhance visible light absorption and thus increase their photocatalytic performance. Herein, we report that Nb-doped TiO2 porous microspheres prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of peroxide precursor solution are yellow, and the yellow coloration becomes increasingly conspicuous with increasing Nb dopant concentration. Comprehensive spectral analyses show that both surface peroxo species and bulk Ti3+ are introduced into TiO2 microsphere samples together by charge compensation with Nb5+ dopant and are responsible for the coloration of TiO2. The Nb-doped microspheres show higher photocatalytic rates than undoped TiO2 for the degradation of gaseous acetaldehyde under visible irradiation but slower rates under ultraviolet light. Moreover, the photocatalytic mineralization rates of acetaldehyde to CO2 are lowered with Nb doping under both visible and UV irradiation. Correlation between the results of surface photovoltage sp...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
