Abstract
TiO2 thin films deposited on stainless steel (SS) substrates exhibit low photocatalytic (PC) activity when calcined above 350 °C. The cause is the presence of Fe3+ into the film due to its diffusion from SS to the surface during the calcination process. Over the past two decades, most researchers accepted the idea that Fe3+ acts as recombination center of photogenerated electrons and holes, although the role of Fe3+ has not been studied. To understand the effect of Fe3+ on the PC and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) activity of TiO2 films, boron-doped graphene-modified TiO2 (BTG) films supported on SS and Ti were prepared by a sol–gel method. The surface of BTG films was characterized by GIXRD, FESEM, XPS, voltammetry, and Mott–Schottky analysis. Photo(electro)chemical properties of BTG films were investigated by open-circuit potential measurements, photovoltammetry, and photocurrent transients, while their PC and PEC activities were evaluated using phenol degradation under ultraviolet irradiation. In addition...
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