Surfactant-free synthesis uniform Ti1−xSnxO2 nanocrystal colloids and their photocatalytic performance

Abstract The preparation of Ti 1− x Sn x O 2 nanocrystal colloids from peroxo-metal precursor by hydrothermal method was reported in this work. The obtained materials were investigated by means of XRD, Raman, TEM, XPS, ICP-AES, N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements (BET), PL and UV–vis spectroscopies technology. Photocatalytic degradation of phenol was studied under UV illumination. The results indicated that Ti 1− x Sn x O 2 nanocrystal colloids were obtained in the nanometer scale (less than 10 nm) and the crystallite size was smaller than pure TiO 2 . Anatase phase, mixture phase (anatase and rutile) and rutile phase of Sn-doped TiO 2 samples were formed, when x x x  ≥ 0.06, respectively. The Sn 4+ dopants presented substitution Ti 4+ into the lattice of TiO 2 alongside increasing the surface oxygen vacancies and the surface hydroxyl groups. Regarding photocatalytic activity, Sn-doped TiO 2 samples (TiSn3) were nearly four times higher than undoped samples. This obvious beneficial effect could be attributed to high surface area, optimal crystalline phase and surface state modifications.