Preparation of N-functionalized TiO2 particles using one-step sol–gel method and their photocatalytic activity

•TiO2 particles were functionalized with nitrogen atoms to improve the photocatalytic activity. This functionalization was performed at mild conditions through sol–gel technique.•Diameters of N-TiO2 spheres were controlled from 250 to 2200 nm by varying TTEAIP concentration.•N-TiO2 particles exhibited a good performance for methylene blue photodegradation.

Nitrogen functionalized TiO2 (N-TiO2) particles having an excellent dispersibility were prepared by sol–gel method. Generally, N-TiO2 particles have been made at the harsh preparation conditions including either high temperature or high pressure with nitrogen sources. However, in this research, N-TiO2 particles were prepared through facile sol–gel reaction with titanium(IV) (triethanolaminato)-isopropoxide (TTEAIP) precursor at mild conditions. The diameter of titania spheres could be tunable from 250 to 2200 nm by varying TTEAIP concentrations. Photocatalytic performances of N-TiO2 were examined through the degradation of methylene blue. N-TiO2 particles exhibited 3–10 times better performance of methylene blue photodegradation than that of commercial P25.

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