Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2014, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (8): 1543-1549.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201406161

• CATALYSIS AND SURFACE SCIENCE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Microwave-Assisted Solvothermal Synthesis of In-Si Co-Modified TiO2 Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

TIAN Hong1, WANG Hui-Xiang1, SHI Wei-Mei2, XU Yao1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan 030001, P. R. China;
    2. Institute of Chemical Materials, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan Province, P. R. China
  • Received:2014-02-13 Revised:2014-06-12 Published:2014-07-18
  • Contact: XU Yao E-mail:xuyao@sxicc.ac.cn
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province, China (2011011007-3).

Abstract:

In-Si co-modified TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized via a microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, N2 addesorption (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and UVVis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS). The photocatalysts all exist in an anatase phase, despite the fact that the crystallinity slightly decreased upon modification of the TiO2 photocatalysts. Si-modification resulted in smaller nanoparticles and larger specific surface areas. In-modification led to the formation of In2O3 on the surface of TiO2, such that In cannot enter the TiO2 lattice, contributing to efficient charge transfer between the coupled semiconductors In2O3 and TiO2. Degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) showed that In-Si co-modified TiO2 photocatalysts can exhibit high photocatalytic activity under both ultraviolet and visible light. The highest activity was obtained for In-Si co-modified TiO2 with an Si:In:Ti molar ratio of 0.03:0.02:1 (IST-2), with which RhB was completely degraded within 3 min under ultraviolet light and where 97% of RhB was degraded after 120 min under visible light. The improved photocatalytic activity of In- Si co-modified TiO2 may be ascribed to synergistic effects between large surface area, efficient electron transmission at the In2O3-TiO2 interface, and the dye sensation effect of RhB. Photodegradation for colorless phenol occurred at a much slower rate than that for RhB, and the phenol did not completely degrade within 700 min.

Key words: TiO2, In2O3, Photocatalysis, Modification, Doping