Modified TiO2 Nanoparticles Research Articles

Fabrication of TiO2 ̶ KH550 ̶ PEG Super-Hydrophilic Coating on Glass Surface without UV/Plasma Treatment for Self-Cleaning and Anti-Fogging Applications

In this study, we have developed a self-cleaning transparent coating on a glass substrate by dip coating a TiO2 – KH550 – PEG mixed solution with super-hydrophilicity and good antifogging properties. The fabrication of the thin-film-coated glass is a one-step solution blending method that is performed by depositing only one layer of modified TiO2 nanoparticles at room temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the structure and morphology of the nanoparticles and the thin-film-coated glass. The surface functional groups were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the optical properties of the glass coating were measured using a UV/Vis spectrometer. The results revealed that the KH-500-modified TiO2 film coating was in an anatase crystalline form. The hydrophilicity of the coated and uncoated glass substrates was observed by measuring their water contact angle (WCA) using a contact angle instrument. The maximum transparency of the coated glass measured in the visible region (380–780 nm) was approximately 70%, and it possessed excellent super-hydrophilic properties (WCA ~0°) at an annealing temperature of 350 °C without further need of UV or plasma treatment. These results demonstrate the super-hydrophilic coated glass surface has potential for use in self-cleaning and anti-fogging applications.

TiO2 Nanoparticles Co-Sensitized with Graphene Quantum Dots and Pyrocatechol Violet for Photoelectrochemical Detection of Cr(VI)

Photoactive electrodes with high photon-to-electron conversion efficiency are key to achieving sensitive photoelectrochemical sensors. Among all the photoactive materials, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have attracted much attention due to their unique electronic and optical properties. However, the large bandgap of TiO2 results in limited photocurrent signal generation under visible irradiation, which is important for its use in many applications including sensing. Herein, we modified TiO2 nanoparticles with both pyrocatechol violet and graphene quantum dots to obtain high photocurrents at visible light excitation while also improving TiO2 nanoparticle dispersion and film-forming properties. This material system enhances photocurrent by 5 times compared to TiO2 nanoparticles that are modified with only pyrocatechol violet and 60 times compared to TiO2 nanoparticles modified with graphene quantum dots. Additionally, the optimized photoelectrodes were used to detect hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), which has been reported as a toxic carcinogen. Under visible light irradiation, the fabricated sensor offered a low limit-of-detection of 0.04 μM for Cr(VI), with selectivity against Na, Mg, Cu, and Cr (III) ions, paving the route toward photoelectrochemical Cr(VI) sensing.

Fluorine-free fabrication of robust self-cleaning and anti-corrosion superhydrophobic coating with photocatalytic function for enhanced anti-biofouling property

Here, a fluorine-free robust superhydrophobic coating was fabricated on the Al alloy substrate by a simple and low-cost approach. Embed modified TiO2 nanoparticles onto semi-cured epoxy resin adhesive layer prominently reduces the content of low-energy materials (stearic acid) on the superhydrophobic coating. This prepared coating with hierarchical structures, re-entrant structures and low surface energy shows superhydrophobic. The superhydrophobic coating shows excellent high impalement pressure even water droplets with the velocity of 3.43 m/s. This coating also exhibits stability after different tests and noticeable enhancement of adhesive strength compared with the coating without the epoxy resin. Moreover, this coating presents enhanced durability verified by a sandpaper abrasion and decreased friction coefficient by a wear test. It moreover enabled noticeable self-cleaning property. This superhydrophobic coating also shows promising anti-corrosion property in both the corrosion solution and the salt spray compared with the Al alloy substrate. Notably, the superhydrophobic property combined with photocatalytic function prominently improves the anti-biofouling property of the Al alloy substrate due to the superhydrophobicity reducing organic and bacterial adhesion and the photocatalysis providing organic degradation and preventing bacterial adhesion. The fluorine-free robust multifunctional coating with superhydrophobic and photocatalytic properties can be applied to functionalize various solid surfaces.

Ultra-stretchable and superhydrophobic textile-based bioelectrodes for robust self-cleaning and personal health monitoring

The rapid advancement of smart electronics has stimulated immense research interest in non-metallic bioelectrodes with scalable yet cost-effective fabrication, harsh-environment resistance, and superior sensing capabilities to various physiological signals. Here, an ultra-stretchable and self-cleaning nonwoven textile-based bioelectrode combining prominent health monitoring performance with outstanding anti-fouling ability is rationally designed and successfully fabricated via the synergistic combination of carbon black nanoparticle/CNT (CB/CNT) stretchable conductive networks and superhydrophobic perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane modified TiO2 nanoparticles (PFOTES-TiO2 NPs). The adaptive CB/CNT conductive networks on elastic fibers can facilitate efficient charge transfer under ultra-high deformation (>10 times stretching), while the outermost PFOTES-TiO2 NPs layer with good interlayer adhesion provides the micro-topological structure and low surface energy. As a result, the conductive textile used as skin-attachable bioelectrode manifests remarkable performance for personal health monitoring, including an ultra-broad detection range of 1050.0% and an extremely high GF value up to 1134.7 as wearable strain sensor, and outstanding detection ability to electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) signals. Moreover, the bioelectrode also possesses terrific anti-fouling properties and resistance to various corrosive fluids and even severe mechanical damage, ensuring its long-term operation stability under harsh environments. Hence, this research provides a new paradigm for achieving high-performance textile-based bioelectronics.

Enhanced mechanical properties of epoxy composites embedded with MF/TiO2 hybrid shell microcapsules containing n-octadecane

Microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs) are often mixed with matrix materials to form phase change composites for energy storage. Typically, MPCMs are easily debonded from the matrix or ruptured, thereby weakening the mechanical properties of composites. This paper aims to simultaneously improve the rupture strength of microcapsules and the bonding strength between microcapsules and matrix to enhance the mechanical properties of composites. The titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles modified by a silane coupling agent (KH560) were doped into the melamine formaldehyde (MF) shell, forming n-octadecane@MF/TiO2 hybrid shell MPCMs (HS-MPCMs). The doping of modified TiO2 nanoparticles reduced supercooling and improved the thermal stability of microcapsules. Compared with MF microcapsules, the rupture strength of HS-MPCMs was increased by an average of 30.4%. The modified TiO2 nanoparticles also built covalent bonds between microcapsule shell and matrix, which led to better microcapsule/epoxy interface bonding. Thus, the HS-MPCMs/epoxy composites performed higher tensile strength than the unmodified composites. Specifically, the tensile strength of composites was improved by an average of 17.2% at the microcapsule content of 10 wt.% with the aid of the MF/TiO2 hybrid shell. The reinforced MPCMs/epoxy composites are expected to be used as anti-icing coatings in the aerospace field.

Effect of particle size on TiO2-polystyrene nanoparticles contact angle for hydrophobicity behavior

The physical chemistry and surface science is being exploited in the recent days excessively so as to control the surface roughness, thus having a control over the hydrophobicity of the surface. Hydrophobicity is the resistance of the water to adsorb on the surface. It can be done by the making the surface rough either through particle deposition or Nano-structure machining on the surface. In most of the research, bare or unadulterated Nano particles give inferior results. Silated, hydroxylated, hydrolyzed or polymerized nanoparticles for experimenting with hydrophobicity has become a trend. Even for a single nanoparticle, it is possible to obtain the precise measurement for different contact angle with respect to the droplet size. In this work, Nano particle deposition is studied and modified Nano particles are used. The chemically modified TiO2 nanoparticles gave excellent hydrophobic results. The two different TiO2 nanoparticle size are synthesized via ball milling; each trial having three samples with different proportions of polystyrene (PS) blend TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared using sol gel process. Subsequently stainless steel substrate is dipped in the nanoparticle mixture and dried. The surface roughness, contact angle is measured. The influence of various TiO2 particle size concentrations in the hydrophobicity performance is compared and discussed.

Preparation and characterization of CTAB surfactant modified TiO2 nanoparticles as antibacterial fabric coating material

TiO2 preparation has been carried out with the addition of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. The sol-gel method is used in the preparation of TiO2, where TiCl4 is used as a precursor. The resulting TiO2 was characterized using XRD, FTIR, XRF and SEM. XRD results show the crystal size of TiO2 17.75 nm with the rutile phase. The FTIR results show a broad absorption band between 800 and 400 cm−1 by Ti–O vibrations in the crystal lattice. The XRF results showed that the TiO2 content was 80.80%. Morphological results showed an irregular ball-like structure that was less aggregated. The characterization results show that TiO2 can be used as a coating on fabrics with antibacterial properties.

Single Step Synthesis and Functionalization of Nano Titania for Development of Multifunctional Cotton Fabrics.

Synthesis and modification of nanoparticles to make them suitable to functionalise a substrate for various application fields involves many steps, which are complex, time-consuming, and sometimes require special equipment. This is a major drawback to meet rapid technological requirements. In this work, a procedure has been developed to modify TiO2 nanoparticles by the sol-gel method at their synthesis stage using titanium tetraisopropoxide and modifying agents including ODS and GPTMS. The prepared nanoparticle finish can be used as it is without any further processing, thus eliminating the need for extra steps required to decorate them on some substrate. The nanoparticles were characterised by SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and zeta potential. The adhesion of the obtained nanoparticles was tested by applying them to a cellulosic substrate. The obtained substrate was subjected to mechanical action and adhesion efficiency was estimated on the basis of UV transmittance and antibacterial properties that showed excellent results. The hydrophobic properties of the obtained nanoparticles were assessed by measuring water contact angles, which reached 157.9°, indicating their superhydrophobic nature. The developed procedure is facile and will be suitable for the engineering of multiple surfaces.

Polydopamine-Chitosan modified TiO2 nanoparticles for temperature-response removal of diclofenac sodium under visible light irradiation

BackgroundDiclofenac sodium is a kind of classic pharmaceutical and personal care product which has a potential risk to aqueous environment and food chain. The aim of the study is to realize the removal of diclofenac sodium in an energy-efficient and eco-friendly way. MethodTiO2 nanoparticles were modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane and then were grafted with polydopamine and chitosan sequentially through Schiff-base reaction to realize spatiotemporal coagulation and degradation of diclofenac sodium under visible light irradiation, which was rare reported before. ResultsThe polymer layer of modified TiO2 nanoparticles became swelling and outstretching with cooling the temperature from 313.15±0.2 to 293.15±0.2 K, which led to the exposure of the TiO2 nanoparticle surface and the photocatalysis of which was activated. Photoelectrons migrated to the surface of which due to the protonation of TiO2 nanoparticles in acidic aqueous milieu and reacted with OHˉ forming •OH at the presence of oxygen and the photocatalytic efficiency of which was improved. It further reacted with diclofenac sodium and the coagulant could be directly reused at least twenty times without rinse process in this work, which has a significantly application potential considering future benefits.

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic films based on polyurethane cationomers containing TiO2 nanofiller

Polyurethane cationomers thin films containing (0–2 wt%) surface functionalized TiO2 as ecological water dispersions were obtained, and the structure of the cationomers have been confirmed using FTIR and NMR methods. Incorporation of the surface modified TiO2 nanoparticles caused considerable changes in the thermal, mechanical, and surface properties of the PU films. Importantly, films made with MDI isocyanate surface-modified TiO2 were hydrophobic and their free surface energy (FSE) was below 35 mJ/m2, while films containing unmodified TiO2 were hydrophilic with FSE above 48 mJ/m2. SEM observations exhibited uniform dispersion of nanoparticles in PU matrix. The activation energy of the glass transition process was calculated based on multifrequency TOPEM DSC data and the higher activation energy was found for composites with higher content of PU/TiO2 or PU/f-TiO2 due to the stronger hydrogen bonding between soft segment microdomains and hard segments after incorporation of PU/TiO2 or PU/f-TiO2. Good thermal and mechanical properties, which correspond to those of PU elastomers, are promising features for the application of the obtained cationomers as modern coating materials.

Morphological Dynamics of Leukemia Cells on TiO2 Nanoparticle Coatings Studied by AFM

Coatings of modified TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2-m) have been shown to effectively and selectively trap non-adherent cancer cells, with an enormous potential for applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Leukemia cells have a remarkable affinity for TiO2-m coatings, adhering to the surface by membrane structures and exhibiting morphologic characteristics of amoeboid locomotion. However, the details of the cell–substrate interaction induced by the TiO2-m coating remain elusive. With the aim to obtain a better understanding of this phenomenon, leukemia cell adhesion to such coatings was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for short contact times up to 60 min. The cell and membrane morphological parameters mean cell height, contact area, cell volume, and membrane roughness were determined at different contact times. These results reveal cell expansion and contraction phases occurring during the initial stage of adhesion. Subsequently, the leukemic cells reach what appears to be a new resting state, characterized by pinning of the cell membrane by TiO2-m nanoparticle aggregates protruding from the coating surface.

A convenient strategy for the electrochemical evaluation of acetaminophen and caffeine in combined drugs and biological samples over TiO2@polymethyldopa/Pd nanocomposite functionalized glassy carbon electrodes

In this study, a sensitive electrochemical sensor was designed based on Pd nanoparticles adorned poly-methyldopa (PMDA) modified TiO2 nanoparticles embedded over glassy carbon electrode (TiO2@PMDA/Pd/GCE) for the simultaneous quantitative estimation of acetaminophen (AC) and caffeine (CF) in biological and pharmaceutical samples. Several analytical techniques like Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) were used to characterize the as synthesized nanocomposite. Electrochemical properties of the constructed sensor were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Following the optimization of some experimental parameters in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the anodic peak currents for both the molecules were found to be linear with their corresponding concentrations ranging from 5 nM to 3.5 µM and 50 nM to 4.5 µM respectively. Detection limits for AC and CF molecules were being 1.94 nM and 23.9 nM in this estimation. The fabricated sensor was advantageous in terms of ease of preparation, great stability, excellent selectivity, repeatability and reproducibility. To evaluate of electrode-to-electrode reproducibility the relative standard deviation (RSD%) were obtained to be 3.6% for AC and 4.5% for CF, respectively. The precision was measured to be below 4.3% for AC and 3.9 for CF, and accuracy between −1.7% − 3.5% for AC, and −3.7–2.5 for CF, respectively. Statistical student's t-test and F-test displayed negligible systematic error between the measured and real values and also between voltammetric method at the surface of the suggested electrode and standard HPLC method.

Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of novel 1,2,4-triazole based Cu(II) and Zn(II) phthalocyanines modified TiO2 nanoparticles

Hybrid organic-inorganic, photocatalytic nanocomposite coatings that containing novel 1,2,4-triazole based Cu(II) and Zn(II) phthalocyanines modified TiO2 nanoparticles were developed with the sol-gel process. Tetraethyl orthosilicate, 3-(glycidyloxypropyl)triethoxysilane and triethoxymethylsilane were used for hybrid polymer network. The phthalocyanines modified TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by the sol-gel method were added to the obtained hybrid polymer network at of 10%, 25%, and 50%, and the glass substrates were coated the obtained coating solutions by spray method. The photocatalytic activity, optical characterization, morphological and mechanical properties of the coated glass surfaces were examined. The adhesions of the obtained films were classified as 5B, and the pencil and newton hardness were > 9H and 2.6 N, respectively. This study acquired photocatalytic hybrid nanocomposite films that are highly transparent and do not have color changes and that also exhibit hight photocatalytic activitiy.

Dual-functional transparent adhesive films with modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles for UV protection and wide viewing

A new type of dual-functional optically clear adhesive (OCA) with UV protection and wide viewing capabilities was fabricated using TiO2 nanoparticles. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to determine the transmittances of OCA films, and a laser oscilloscope and a bar-type LED lamp were used for light-diffusion studies. Modified TiO2 nanoparticles with core-shell structures have different refractive indices to the unmodified particles and exhibit improved UV protection and light-scattering abilities. Therefore, dual-functional OCAs, rather than normal OCAs, help to protect light-emitting modules or the naked eye, and images emitted from such modules are observed more clearly from a variety of angles.

Transition metals Fe3+, Ni2+ modified titanium dioxide (TiO2) film sensors fabricated by CPT method to sense some toxic environmental pollutant gases

The present investigation deals synthesis of undoped TiO2, Ni2+ doped TiO2, and Fe3+ doped TiO2 nanoparticles by low-cost co-precipitation (CPT) method. The thick film sensors of all the fabricated modified TiO2 nanoparticles were designed by a screen printing strategy. The prepared thick film sensors were characterized by various sophisticated techniques. The structural parameters of undoped TiO2 and modified TiO2 film sensors were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) which confirmed anatase phase of TiO2 lattice. The surface morphological properties of all the prepared materials were confirmed by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM). The energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirms the elemental composition of all the prepared materials. High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) was utilized to investigate the crystal lattice of fabricated TiO2 material. The HR-TEM results revealed the anatase phase crystal morphology of prepared material. The prepared TiO2 materials were also characterized by means of X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to confirm the surface doping, specific biding energies, chemical states and elemental composition of modified TiO2 materials. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) study was carried to investigate the specific surface area of all the prepared sensors. The Fe3+ doped TiO2 sensor found with enhanced surface area (83.10 ​m2/g) in comparison to Ni2+ doped TiO2 and bare TiO2 (67.34 ​m2/g). All the prepared materials were investigated for gas sensing characteristics. The NO2, SO2, and CO2 gases were investigated for all the prepared sensors. The reusability test confirms that the Fe3+ doped TiO2 is reproducible and stable sensor for long time repeated sensing of SO2 and NO2 vapors. Importantly, Fe3+ doped TiO2 sensor showed rapid response and recovery towards SO2 and NO2 vapors.

Enhancement of the adsorptive performance of TiO2 nanoparticles towards methylene blue by adding suspended nanoparticles of Pt: kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamic studies

Methylene blue (MB) is one of the most dangerous dyes found in numerous industries’ wastewaters. Thus, the effect of suspended Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on the adsorption capability of TiO2 NPs towards MB was investigated in this research. Factors affecting (adsorbate initial concentration, agitation time, solution pH, and temperature) the adsorption capacity of MB on the modified TiO2 NPs were also studied. It was found that the first two factors have a positive effect, the temperature has an adverse impact, and the maximum uptake was observed when pH is 11. Isotherm parameters of Langmuir, Freundlich, and Timken models were determined. Langmuir’s model was found to be the best one for analyzing the experimental data. The adsorption capacities obtained were 100.61, 90.66, and 80.26 mg g−1 at 25 °C, 40 °C, and 55 °C, respectively. 1st order, 2nd order, and intra-particle diffusion kinetic models were utilized to analyze experimental data. It found that these data were explained well by the 2nd order model, indicating that this adsorption is chemisorption. Thermodynamic parameters were also determined, and the results obtained suggest that this adsorption is an exothermic and spontaneous process. The findings show that TiO2 NPs modified by suspended Pt NPs will get a strong attraction in the treatment of fluids and wastewaters.

A novel strategy of nanosized herbal Plectranthus amboinicus, Phyllanthus niruri and Euphorbia hirta treated TiO2 nanoparticles for antibacterial and anticancer activities.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles exhibit good anticancer and antibacterial activities. They are known to be environmentally friendly, stable, less toxic, and have excellent biocompatibility nature. Due to these properties, they are well suited for biological applications particularly in biomedical applications such as drug delivery and cancer therapy. In this research article, three medicinal herbs namely, Plectranthus amboinicus (Karpooravalli), Phyllanthus niruri (Keezhanelli), and Euphorbia hirta (Amman Pacharisi), were used to modify the surface of the TiO2 nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to various characterization techniques. The samples are then subjected to MTT assay to determine cell viability. KB oral cancer cells are used for the determination of the anticancer nature of the pure and bio modified nanoparticles. It is observed that Plectranthus amboinicus-Phyllanthus niruri modified TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit excellent anticancer activities among other bio modified and pure samples. The samples are then examined for antibacterial activities against three Gram-negative bacterial strains namely, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and two Gram-positive bacterial strains namely, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans, respectively. Among the modified and pure samples, Plectranthus amboinicus showed good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In the Flow cytometry analysis, the generation of p53 protein expression from Plectranthus amboinicus-Phyllanthus niruri modified TiO2 nano herbal particles shows the anti-cancerous nature of the sample. Then to determine the toxic nature of the Plectranthus amboinicus-Phyllanthus niruri modified TiO2 nano herbal particles against normal cells, the NPs were subjected to MTT assay against normal L929 cells, and it was found to be safer and less toxic towards the normal cells.

Admicellar polymerization of a co-fluoropolymer ultrathin film on TiO2 nanoparticles for use as a photocatalytic cement

TiO2 nanoparticles were surface-modified with a co-fluoropolymer of trifluoroethyl acrylate (TFEA) and octafluoropentyl methacrylate (OFPM) for in a surface-photocatalytic cement. An ultrathin coating of copolymer was formed by adapted step admicellar polymerization. Suitable conditions for admicellar polymerization with the commercial fluoro-surfactant FS 1620 were determined from measurement of the adsorption isotherm using HPLC. Modified TiO2 nanoparticles or fluoropolymer-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles (FTDNPs) were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, EDS, particle analysis, TGA, contact angle and photocatalyst activity. FTDNPs clearly showed the presence of the co-fluoropolymer from FT-IR, SEM with EDS, TGA and hydrophobic character from a simple floating test and contact angle measurement. Surface-photocatalytic activity of cement containing FTDNPs was observed by methylene blue (MB) degradation. TiO2 nanoparticles after surface modification still exhibited the ability to function as a photocatalyst, despite being covered with co-fluoropolymer thin film. The fluorocarbon coating facilitated expulsion of FTDNPs to the cement surface during the hydration reaction.

Deep remediation of oil spill based on the dispersion and photocatalytic degradation of biosurfactant-modified TiO2

The employment of dispersant was an effective method to treat marine oil spill pollution. However, conventional dispersants only showed a single oil dispersion. Here, by modifying TiO2 nanoparticles with biosurfactant-Rhamnolipids (Rha), a highly efficient particulate dispersant with photocatalytic activity was developed. Rha-TiO2 showed both excellent oil spill dispersion and facilitated photodegradation for oil simultaneously. The oil droplets dispersed by Rha-TiO2 in seawater exhibited long time stability, which indicated the synergistic emulsification interactions between TiO2 and Rha in artificial sea water (ASW). The dispersion mechanism of Rha-TiO2 was analyzed, we found the TiO2 nanoparticles alone weren't effectively emulsified oil in high salinity ASW, but the addition of a small amount of Rha could modify the surface wettability of TiO2 nanoparticles to form the stable emulsion. In addition, the addition of a small amount of Rha could reduce the surface tension of the oil-water interface, which contribute to increasing the content of TiO2 nanoparticles at the oil-water interface, form a steric rigid layer around the oil droplets to prevent droplet coalescence and facilitate the further photocatalytic degradation of oil. In short, the Rha-TiO2 nanoparticles could effective disperse oil in ASW, meanwhile the TiO2 also played the role of photocatalytic degradation of oil pollution. Hence, this study developed a novel photocatalytic particulate dispersant to remediate marine oil spill and delivered a new feasible solution for practical oil spill treatment in the future.

Effects of iron ions, doping methods and nanotubular morphology on TiO2 solar photocatalytic performance.

The effects of Fe2+ and Fe3+ as TiO2 cocatalysts were studied, and the experimental results showed that Fe3+ was more efficient than Fe2+, which needed an intermediate reaction to produce hydroxyl radicals. TiO2 was modified with the aim of improving its structural, optical, and adsorption properties, thus improving its photocatalytic performance. The light range of the catalyst activation process was expanded, which increased the catalyst's ability to absorb visible light. Consequently, this study exploits solar energy in photocatalysis by Fe ion doping using different methods, including impregnation, photodeposition, solvothermal doping, and hydrothermal doping, and evaluates the influence of each doping method on TiO2 optical properties and photocatalytic activity. Enhancing the catalyst adsorption capacity by morphologically modifying TiO2 nanoparticles into nanotubes using the hydrothermal method increases the catalyst surface area from 55 to 294 m2/g, as shown in the SEM and BET results. The effect of combining morphological changes and Fe3+ doping on TiO2 activity was evaluated. We observed a reduction in the TiO2 band gap from 3.29 to 3.01 eV, absorption edge widening, and an increase in the specific surface area up to 279 m2/g; thus, the synthesized catalyst eliminated Cefixime in 120 min.