Y-Dy doped and co-doped TiO2. Enhancement of photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation
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University of Sfax-Faculty of Science-Laboratory CI
Publication date: 2016-12-01
Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process. 2017;53(1):427-442
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Nano-sized Y-Dy doped and co-doped TiO2 particles were synthesized using the sol–gel method and Ti(OBu)4 as TiO2 precursor for sol-gel process. Their structure and optical properties were examined by XRD, Raman and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopies. The XRD and Raman analysis of samples calcined at 400 °C for 2 h showed that all relatively sharp reflections and bands can be attributed to the anatase form of TiO2. Ground state diffuse reflectance absorption studies reveal that both Y and Dy dopant cause deviations of the band gap to higher energies attesting that co-doping the TiO2 with Y and Dy could enhance the photo-catalytic activity by delaying the electron–hole recombination by means of higher energy band gaps. However co-doping TiO2 at a level of 3% (Y, Dy) leads to a significant decrease in the crystallite size of photocatalyst and to a great enhancement of the photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) under visible light.