Cerium-modified TiO2 nanocrystalline films for visible light photocatalytic activity

• Cerium modified TiO2 nanocrystalline films with sol–gel method.
• UV and mostly visible light activated nanocomposite catalyst.
• Discoloration of Basic Blue 41 under visible light in the presence of Ce–TiO2 photocatalyst.

Cerium modified thin nanocrystalline TiO2 photocatalytic films for visible light utilization, are prepared via sol–gel route at 500 °C on glass substrates. The synthesis involves a simple procedure employing nonionic surfactant molecule as pore directing agent along with the acetic acid-catalyzed sol–gel route without direct addition of water molecules while cerium was present at different concentrations. Drying and thermal treatment of the films led to the formation of TiO2 nanoparticles with homogeneous particle size distribution. The presence of cerium induced a decrease of the TiO2 nanoparticle size. Nanocomposite films were formed without cracks and consisted of anatase crystal phase and small crystallite size ranging from 7 to 10 nm. All materials were characterized by microscopy techniques, UV–vis and porosimetry methods in order to examine their structural properties. The Ce-modified TiO2 films with various cerium contents were evaluated as visible light photocatalysts for the photo-oxidation of potential organic pollutants in water.

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