Preparation of Crystalline Sn-Doped TiO2 and Its Application in Visible-Light Photocatalysis

Sn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by the vapor transport method of water molecules and characterized by XRD and XPS analyses. The TEM images indicated that as-prepared samples were highly dispersed nanoparticles with a small and uniform size below 20 nm, as it would effectively control the rate of hydrolysis of Ti4+ by adjusting the flow speed of water vapor. Meanwhile, the photocatalytic properties of Sn-doped TiO2 were tested, and the results showed that doping an appropriate amount of Tin would improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by enhancing the separation rate of photogenerated electrons and holes on the surface of TiO2. In addition, the calcination temperature and Tin content had an important influence on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. When the mix ratio of Sn:Ti reached 1%, and the nano-Sn-TiO2 sample was calcined at 400 degrees C, it showed the best photocatalytic activity.