Photoelectrocatalyst of Fe co-doped N-TiO2/Ti nanotubes: Pesticide degradation of thiamethoxam under UV-visible lights

- The synthesis and characterization of Fe-N-TiO2/Ti electrode.
- High performance of photoelectrocatalyst.
- The degradation of thiamethoxam pesticide.
- Compared the performance of photolysis, photocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis.

Preparation of titanium dioxide (TiO2) had been carried out by anodizing method that was continued by Nitrogen (N) and Iron (Fe) doping to obtain the Fe-N-TiO2/Ti electrode through sol-gel method. The synthesis of Fe-N-TiO2/Ti by adding NH4Cl as a source of N and Fe(NO3)3 as a source of Fe were prepared by dip-coating technique. The photocurrent response of TiO2/Ti and Fe-N-TiO2/Ti tested in photoelectrocatalyst showed the TiO2/Ti electrode was active in UV light and Fe-N-TiO2/Ti was active in the visible light. The XRD and SEM characterizations result of Fe-N-TiO2/Ti was the forming of anatase crystal and nanotube structure. The FTIR data was indicated the presence of FeO and TiN bonds on the wavenumber of 580 cm−1 and 509 cm−1, respectively. The degradation result of thiamethoxam pesticide compound in photoelectrocatalyst showed the TiO2/Ti electrode was active on the UV light irradiation with degradation rate constant 0.0436 min−1 and Fe-N-TiO2/Ti was active in the visible irradiation with the degradation rate constant 0.0580 min−1.