Microstructural and photocatatlytic properties of Eu-doped mesporous titanium dioxide nanopaticles by sol–gel method

The europium-doped mesoporous titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Eu-doped TiO2) with the different Eu/Ti rations were prepared using sol–gel method in the presence of tir-block copolymer pluronic P123. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized by low-angle and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), N2 absorption–desorption, ultraviolet visible light spectroscopy (UV–vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The XRD analysis indicated that all as-prepared TiO2 samples were mainly anatase phase and mesoporous. The crystallite sizes were in the range 6–11 nm, in consistent with the results obtained form TEM images. HRTEM and XPS showed that the europium atoms were doped into the lattice of anatase TiO2. Eu doping can not only increase the stability of mesoporous TiO2, but also make the absorption edge position move toward shorter wavelength. The photodecomposition experiments showed that the photodegradation activity of Eu-doped TiO2 was higher than that of undoped TiO2.

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► Eu-doped TiO2 was prepared using sol–gel method in the presence of pluronic P123.
► Eu atoms were doped into the lattice of anatase TiO2.
► Eu doping can increase the band gap of TiO2.
► Eu-doped TiO2 exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than undoped TiO2.