A simple route to synthesize highly crystalline N-doped TiO2 particles under low temperature

A simple route was developed for the synthesis of highly crystalline N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under low temperature (i.e. ⩽348 K) and ambient pressure, through hydrolysis of titanium-n-butoxide in acidic ethylamine solution. The as-prepared particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and TG–DSC analysis. The results indicated that N atoms had got incorporated into TiO2 lattices as evidenced by the formation of O−Ti−N bonds. This process occurred under mild condition, i.e. without further calcinations. The N-doped TiO2 particles exhibited large BET surface area. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degradation of dye X-3B under artificial sunlight irradiation, and N-doped TiO2 samples showed much higher activity than that of pure TiO2 and P25.