Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation Over Lanthanum Doped TiO2 Under UV Light Irradiation

TiO2 nanoparticles doped with different amount of lanthanum were obtained by sol-gel approach and followed annealing at different temperature. The crystal size of TiO2 doped with lanthanum was smaller than that of pure TiO2. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 doped with lanthanum for water splitting into H-2 was investigated. The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 doped with lanthanum for water splitting into H-2 is higher than that of pure TiO2. It was found that the optimal photocatalyst was TiO2 doped with 2 wt% lanthanum and calcined at 600 degrees C for 4 h which had hydrogen generation rate 700.6 mu mol h(-1).