A new sight on hydrogenation of F and N-F doped {0 0 1} facets dominated anatase TiO2 for efficient visible light photocatalyst

Nonmetal doping such by N and F has been studied widely to enhance the visible light photoactivity of TiO2. Recently, hydrogenation of pure and N doped TiO2 is also well studied by theoretical calculations. However, little experimental evidence is known about the nature of the hydrogenation effect played on F and N-F doped anatase TiO2. In this study, hydrogenation of F and N-F doped {0 0 1} facets dominated anatase TiO2 were prepared by annealing the doped photocatalysts in the 10-bar H2 atmosphere. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra confirmed the presence of different coordinated Ti3+ and oxygen vacancies located in the hydrogenated N and N-F doped TiO2 as a result of removing the already located N and F species. The visible-light photocatalytic activity of hydrogenated N-F doped TiO2 was significantly enhanced because of the formation of defect energy state belts and disorder structures. This study gives a new sight on the interaction between H and N, F species in doping TiO2 and developing efficient visible light photocatalyst by hydrogenation.

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► F will substitute the O during the preparation of {0 0 1} facets dominated TiO2.
► N and F located in TiO2 can be removed completely by hydrogenation.
► Different Ti3+ and Ovac will locate by N-F doping and hydrogenation.
► Disorder structure and defect energy state belt enhance the photoactivity.