Ho/TiO2 nanowires heterogeneous catalyst with enhanced photocatalytic properties by hydrothermal synthesis method

Holmium-doped TiO2 nanowires were successfully fabricated by a hydrothermal method and characterized by TEM, XRD, FTIR, and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The results indicated that the uniform Ho/TiO2 nanowires with a length of about 500 nm and a diameter of about 15 nm were produced. Ho doping could inhibit the growth of crystalline size and the transformation from anatase to rutile. The photocatalytic tests indicated that TiO2 nanowires doped with 0.75 wt.% of Ho exhibited maximum photocatalytic activity for the synergeric effects of small crystallite size, large surface area and charge imbalance of Ho/TiO2 nanowires.

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► Ho/TiO2 nanowires are successfully fabricated by hydrothermal synthesis method.
► Ho doping effectively inhibits the growth of crystalline size and the transformation from anatase to rutile.
► The formation mechanism of Ho/TiO2 nanowires are studied in detail.
► Ho doping also further results in the excellent photocatalytic activity.