A novel TiO2 − xNx/BN composite photocatalyst: Synthesis, characterization and enhanced photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B degradation under visible light

•TiO2 − xNx/BN photocatalysts were prepared via a facile method.•The catalysts were nitrogen doped TiO2 nanoparticles loaded on porous BN fibers.•The catalysts exhibited high photocatalytic activity under visible light.•The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity was proposed.

A novel TiO2 − xNx/BN composite photocatalyst was prepared via a facile method using melamine–boron acid adducts (M·2B) and tetrabutyl titanate as reactants. The morphological results confirmed that nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly coated on the surface of porous BN fibers. A red shift of absorption edge from 400 nm (pure TiO2) to 520 nm (TiO2 − xNx/BN composites) was observed in their UV–Vis light absorption spectra. The TiO2 − xNx/BN photocatalysts exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency reached 97.8% under visible light irradiation for 40 min. The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity was finally proposed.

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