A novel approach for enhanced visible light activity in doped nanosize titanium dioxide through the excitons trapping

Titanium dioxide doped with iron oxide (0-10 mol%) has been synthesized by an aqueous sol-gel method. The extent of phase transformation is higher in presence of up to 1 mol% of Fe3+ ions in doped titania. A further increase in Fe3+ content was found to decrease the phase transformation. A composition which contains similar to 90% rutile and the remaining anatase phase shows the highest photocatalytic activity. Even though surface area values are dramatically decreased by the modification of TiO2 by Fe3+ doping, crystallinity plays a major role in photocatalytic activity enhancement. UV-vis reflectance spectra indicate a red-shift in band gap energy and thus an enhanced photoactivity in visible light, suitable for application in photodegradation of toxic industrial effluents as well as other organic contaminants, is achieved. Low concentrations of Fe3+ ions act as excitons trapping centers, while higher concentrations act as recombination centers. The synergy between the rutile-anatase ratios and optimum amount of Fe3+ ions improve the interfacial charge transfer and trapping which enhanced the photochemical degradation of MB dye. The Fe3+ doped TiO2 composition has the highest photoactivity, having an apparent rate constant of 11.1 x 10(-3) min(-1), which is much higher than that of commercial P25 Degussa titania (6.03 x 10(-3) min(-1)). (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.