Remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity by nickel nanoparticle deposition on sulfur-doped titanium dioxide thin film

To enhance the photocatalytic performance of titanium dioxide, the structures of both bulk and surface were modified. Doping of sulfur atoms to be substituted for lattice oxygen atoms of titanium dioxide was carried out to extend the light absorption by atmosphere-controlled pulsed laser deposition, which allows direct preparation of impurity-included thin film such as sulfur-doped titanium dioxide. On the other hand, to enhance the surface catalytic reaction, nickel nanoparticles were deposited at the thin film substrate by chemical vapor reductive deposition method, which is a novel preparation technique of metallic nanoparticles on the substrate surface. Obtained sulfur-doped titanium dioxide was found to possess sensitivity to visible light with the wavelength up to 550 nm, indicating the photocatalytic activity in visible region. Sulfur doping induced the dye degradation activity under visible light irradiation. When nickel nanoparticles were deposited, a remarkable enhancement of the hydrogen evolution activity through ethanol decomposition of more than 20 times as much as unmodified titanium dioxide thin film was accomplished. In addition, the stability of sulfur atom doped into titanium dioxide structure was investigated. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.