Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of N-doped TiO2/composites

Abstract

N-doped TiO2/carbon composites (N-TiO2/HTC) were synthesized by hydrothermal carbonization using glucose, titanium isopropoxide and melamine, as a carbon, titanium and nitrogen precursors, respectively. In order to achieve good photocatalytic activity, different material samples were obtained by varying the amount of melamine. Characterization of obtained composites was performed by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UVVis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of N-TiO2/HTC composites was examined via photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV and visible light, and compared to the photocatalytic activity of undoped TiO2/HTC and commercial TiO2. Variation of melamine amount, added in the precursor solution, induced slight structural and morphological changes in N-TiO2/HTC composites. Although minor, these changes caused different adsorption and photocatalytic characteristics of obtained composites. It was found that the lowest addition of melamine raises the adsorption capacity of composite material. Also, the increase in melamine concentration in precursor solution increases the photocatalytic activity of N-doped composites under both, UV and visible irradiation.