The study of Iron (III) and nitrogen co-doped mesoporous TiO2 photocatalysts: synthesis, characterization and activity

The iron (III) and nitrogen co-doped mesoporous titania was prepared in the first time by modified sol–gel method, in which, the nitrogen-containing surfactant (dodecylamine) was introduced as a structure directing agent as well as a nitrogen dopant. The mesoporous materials were characterized by low angle and wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption, UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). Characteristic results clearly show that the mesoporous architecture of nitrogen and Fe (III) co-doped TiO2 is composed of mixed-phase crystal textures of anatase and brookite. And the prepared sample has a larger specific area, small crystal size and an uniform pore distribution even after calcined 400 °C. The photocatalytic activity of samples was evaluated by the photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol in solution under visible light irradiation. It was found that the photocatalytic activity of co-doped mesoporous TiO2 powders was higher than that of N-doped mesoporous TiO2 sample and P25.