The photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of neodymium and iodine doped TiO2 nanoparticles

A series of photocatalysts were synthesized by neodymium and iodine doped TiO2. The characteristics of neodymium and iodine doped TiO2 were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra, and scanning electronic microscope (SEM). In the synthesis process, Nd:I:TiO2 with different doping content (molar ratios) calcined at different temperature was designed. After the photocatalysts were synthesized under different condition, they were compared with each other by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). The most efficient catalyst to degrade MB was Nd combined with I doped TiO2 with molar ratio of 5:10:100 calcined at 400 °C. It is anatase crystal and the average size of crystallites was about 6.0 nm. It has absorption spectrometry in the visible light range of 400–550 nm. In addition, compared with pure TiO2, the doped catalyst also has intense absorption at 528, 587, 683, 750, 808, and 881 nm. The catalytic efficiency was tested by monitoring the photocatalytic degradation, and detriment of MB and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The antibacterial activities were studied by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results showed that the optimum doping contents was Nd:I:TiO2 = 5:10:100 (molar ratio) calcined at 400 °C, and the synthesized catalyst could inhibit E. coli and S. aureus through damaging their outer membrane (even deteriorated completely) by the irradiation of visible light.