Influence of Defects on Photoconductivity and Photocatalytic Activity of Nitrogen-Doped Titania

A. A. Minnekhanov; N. T. Le; E. A. Konstantinova; P. K. Kashkarov

doi:10.1007/s00723-017-0870-4

paper

Influence of Defects on Photoconductivity and Photocatalytic Activity of Nitrogen-Doped Titania

arXiv:1612.07835 · doi:10.1007/s00723-017-0870-4

Abstract

Samples of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (anatase, $0.2 \leq N \leq 1.0 w t %$ ) prepared by the sol-gel method were investigated using X-band EPR spectroscopy, photoconductivity and photocatalysis measurements. $N ∙$ and $N O ∙$ paramagnetic defects in N-TiO2 have been observed; their concentrations and spin-Hamiltonian parameters were calculated. An increase both in the rate of the generation of free charge carriers and in the rate of photocatalysis was found in N-TiO2 in contrast with non-doped titania under visible light. The correlation of the density of the observed radicals with the photoconductivity and photocatalysis data is discussed.

13 pages, 10 figures, 1 table