Abstract
Mesoporous TiO2 films treated with N2/argon plasma were studied for ultraviolet and visible-light-induced photocatalytic water oxidation activity. Compared to pristine TiO2 films, plasma-treated TiO2 films showed remarkable enhancement of photocurrents (up to 80–240 times) in both ultraviolet light and visible light, greatly surpassing enhancements previously reported in the literature. The cubic-ordered mesoporous TiO2 thin films were prepared by a surfactant-templated sol–gel method and were treated with N2/argon plasma, an approach hypothesized to capitalize on the high degree of disorder in the material and the high energy of the plasma species to achieve efficient nitrogen doping. The effects of reaction gas pressure and N2 gas flow rate on photoelectrochemical (PEC) response were investigated. UV–vis absorbance spectra indicated that the incorporated N atoms significantly reduced the band gap of TiO2 with the enhancement of visible-light absorption, and XPS analysis showed primarily substitutional N...
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
