In-situ synthesis, local structure, photoelectrochemical property of Fe-intercalated titanate nanotube

The titanate nanotube (TNT) and iron intercalated titanate nanotube (Fe-TNT) were synthesized in-situ single step hydrothermal method at 150 °C for 72 h. The electronic and local coordination structures of iron species intercalated in the interlayer space of ion exchangeable titanate nanotubes were investigated by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The iron intercalated into the nanotube was formed as hydrated iron complex of [FexII(OH)2x−1(OH2)]+ and the iron complex played a harmful role in the photocatalytic hydrogen production from methanol–water mixed solution and the photocatalytic decomposition of acid orange 7 (AO7) under UV light irradiation. A higher photocurrent generation, however, was also observed from the Fe-intercalated titanate nanotube film from 0.1 M NaOH solution under UV light irradiation.

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► Iron intercalated titanate nanotube was synthesized by hydrothermal method.
► The intercalated iron was formed as hydrated iron complex of [FexII(OH)2x−1(OH2)]+.
► The iron complex played a harmful role in the photocatalytic reaction.
► The IPCE of TNT and Fe-TNT at 320 nm is 0.06 and 0.08% at 0.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl.