A simple preparation of carbon and nitrogen co-doped nanoscaled TiO2 with exposed {001} facets for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

A simple method for preparing C-N-codoped anatase TiO2 nanosheets with exposed {0 0 1} facets was developed by solvothermal treatment of TiCN in a H2O2-HF ethanol solution. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in an aqueous solution under visible-light radiation. The results show that carbon and nitrogen atoms were in situ incorporated into the lattice of TiO2, which resulted in C-N-TiO2 nanosheets exhibiting stronger absorption in the UV-vis range. The anatase C-N-TiO2 nanosheets exhibited an enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity than C-N-TiO2 microsheets and C-N-TiO2 nanoparticles. The high photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the synergetic effects of two factors including the intense absorption in the visible-light region and the dominant exposure of highly reactive {0 0 1} facets of TiO2 nanosheets. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.