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Photocurrent response and photocatalytic activity of Nd-doped TiO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel method

  • Xiaodong Zhu , Huijin Song , Wei Feng EMAIL logo , Guilan Wen , Haoyu Li and Jing Zhou
Published/Copyright: January 19, 2017
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Journal of Advanced Oxidation Technologies
From the journal Journal of Advanced Oxidation Technologies Volume 20 Issue 1

Abstract

The undoped and Nd-doped TiO2 thin films were prepared on indium-tin oxide (ITO) conductive glass by sol-gel method using dip-coating technique. The crystal structure, surface morphology, composition and surface chemical state of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) , respectively. The results show that the undoped and Nd-doped TiO2 form anatase structure after calcining at 450 °C for 2 h and the crystalline size of TiO2 decreases by Nd doping. The photocurrent response of the thin films was tested by electrochemical workstation. The results show that all the Nd-doped TiO2 thin film electrodes demonstrate higher photocurrent response. The photocurrent density of Nd-doped TiO2 thin film electrodes increases at first and then decreases with the dopant concentration increasing from 0.5 at.% to 4 at.%. The maximum photocurrent density is obtained on 1 at.% Nd-doped TiO2 thin film electrode, which is 3.2 times higher than that obtained on undoped TiO2 thin film electrode. The photocatalytic activity of films was investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The results reveal that higher photocurrent causes higher photocatalytic activity. The degradation rate of 1 at.% Nd-doped TiO2 thin film increases about 60 % than that of undoped TiO2 thin film.

Keywords: Nd-doped; TiO2 thin film; sol-gel method; photocurrent; photocatalytic activity

Funding statement: This work was supported by the Education Department of Sichuan Province of China (No. 16ZB0436 and No. 16ZA0389)

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions.

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Received: 2016-5-18
Revised: 2016-8-1
Accepted: 2016-9-16
Published Online: 2017-1-19
Published in Print: 2017-1-1

© 2017 by Walter De Gruyter GmbH

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https://doi.org/10.1515/jaots-2016-0190
Keywords for this article
Nd-doped; TiO2 thin film; sol-gel method; photocurrent; photocatalytic activity

Articles in the same Issue

  2. Editorial: The importance of advanced oxidation processes in degrading persistent pollutants
  3. An overview on heterogeneous Fenton and photoFenton reactions using zerovalent iron materials
  4. Photooxidative Degradation of Pesticides in Water; Response Surface Modeling Approach
  5. The treatment of aniline in aqueous solutions by gamma irradiation
  6. Microwave regeneration of biological activated carbon
  7. Molecular iodine/aqueous NH4OAc: a green reaction system for direct oxidative synthesis of nitriles from amines
  8. Catalytic Degradation of Safranin T in Aqueous Medium Using Non-conventional Processes
  9. Oxidation of 1, 2-dichlorobenzene on a commercial V2O5-WO3/nano-TiO2 catalyst: Effect of HCl addition
  10. Current conduction mechanisms in thermal nitride and dry gate oxide grown on 4H-silicon carbide (SiC)
  11. Effect of light and oxygen on repetitive bacterial inactivation on uniform, adhesive, robust and stable Cu-polyester surfaces
  12. Wet oxidation of an industrial high concentration pharmaceutical wastewater using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant
  13. Oxidation characteristics of heavy crude oil in ignition process
  14. Comparative studies on the performance of porous Ti/Sno2-Sb2O3/Pbo2 enhanced by CNT and Bi Co-doped electrodes for methyl orange oxidation
  15. Application of photocatalytic paint for destruction of benzo[a]pyrene. Impact of air humidity
  16. Spray-drying synthesis and characterization of Li4Ti5O12 anode material for lithium ion batteries
  17. Kinetics analysis of photocatalytic degradation of Acid Orange 7 by Co/N/Er3+: Y3Al5O12/TiO2 films
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  21. The degradation efficiency and mechanism of meclofenamic acid in aqueous solution by UV irradiation
  22. Effect of electrode oxide film in micro arc oxidation on water treatment
  23. Photocurrent response and photocatalytic activity of Nd-doped TiO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel method
  24. Mathematical model involving chemical reaction and mass transfer for the ozonation of dimethyl phthalate in water in a bubble column reactor
  25. Elimination of organic micro-contaminants in municipal wastewater by a combined immobilized biomass reactor and solar photo-Fenton tertiary treatment
  26. Degradation of catechol on BiOCl: charge transfer complex formation and photoactivity
  27. Photocatalytic degradation of phenol on strontium titanate supported on HZSM-5
  28. Selective Fenton-like catalytic oxidation of acid orange II on inorganic heterogeneous molecular imprinted catalysts
  29. Decoloration of azo dye methyl orange by a novel electro-Fenton internal circulation batch reactor
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