Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of 3-d metal ions (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Fe) doped titania nanostructured films

Abstract Mesoporous titania films and powders modified with 3d metal ions have been produced by sol-gel method and characterized by optical spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, XPS and photocatalytic measurements. XRD patterns of mesoporous Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Mn 2+ Cu 2+ doped films showed the nanocrystalline anatase phase formation (8–20 nm). In the case of Fe 3+ /TiO 2 systems, an amorphous film with traces of the brookite was formed. Nonporous iron titanate films consisted of the crystalline structures of pseudobrookite (Fe 2 TiO 5 ) and landauite (Fe 2 Ti 2 O 7 ). Sol-gel technique promoted high-dispersion states of metal species, the XPS showed that the dopants existed as divalent and trivalent ions in (Co, Mn, Fe) n+ /TiO 2 and as monovalent and divalent ions in (Ni, Cu) n+ /TiO 2 . The optimal parameters for the doped titania composites synthesis allowing to obtain the more active than TiO 2 nontoxic, environmentally friendly, biocompatible nanostructured catalysts for the photocatalytic processes of toxic dichromate ions reduction and tetracycline hydrochloride destruction under UV and visible light is experimentally established.