Photocatalytic activity of N, S co-doped and N-doped commercial anatase TiO2 powders towards phenol oxidation and E. coli inactivation under simulated solar light irradiation.

JULIÁN ANDRÉS RENGIFO-HERRERA; CESAR PULGARIN

SOLAR ENERGY

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2010 vol. 84 p. 37 - 43

0038-092X

Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped and N-doped TiO2 anatase TKP 102 (Tayca) were prepared by manual grinding with thiourea and urea respectively and annealing at 400°C. Both materials showed visible light absorption as measured by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS). Interstitial N-doping, anionic and cationic S-doping was found when the TiO2 was doped with thiourea while TiO2 doped with urea showed only the presence of interstitial N-doping as measured by X-ray Photo-electron Spectroscopy (XPS). The N content on the surface of N-doped TKP 102 photocatalyst was 2.85 at% and higher than the N content in the N, S co-doped TiO2 photocatalyst (0.6 at%).  The photocatalytic activity of the doped catalysts was tested using phenol and E. coli as chemical and biological targets respectively using N, S co-doped, N-doped TiO2, undoped Degussa P-25 and undoped TKP 102 powders under simulated solar light. It was found that undoped Degussa P-25 was the photocatalyst with the highest photocatalytic activity towards phenol oxidation and E. coli inactivation. N, S co-doped powders showed almost the same photocatalytic activity as undoped TKP 102 while N-doped TKP 102 was the less active photocatalyst probably due the N impurities on the TiO2 acting as recombination centers.