Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
Ultrafast Electrochemical Self-Doping of Anodic Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes for Enhanced Electroanalytical and Photocatalytic Performance
oleh: Davide Spanu, Aicha Dhahri, Gilberto Binda, Damiano Monticelli, Marco Pinna, Sandro Recchia
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2023-11-01 |
Deskripsi
This study explores an ultrarapid electrochemical self-doping procedure applied to anodic titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanotube arrays in an alkaline solution to boost their performance for electroanalytical and photocatalytic applications. The electrochemical self-doping process (i.e., the creation of surface Ti<sup>3+</sup> states by applying a negative potential) is recently emerging as a simpler and cleaner way to improve the electronic properties of TiO<sub>2</sub> compared to traditional chemical and high-temperature doping strategies. Here, self-doping was carried out through varying voltages and treatment times to identify the most performing materials without compromising their structural stability. Interestingly, cyclic voltammetry characterization revealed that undoped TiO<sub>2</sub> shows negligible activity, whereas all self-doped materials demonstrate their suitability as electrode materials: an outstandingly short 10 s self-doping treatment leads to the highest electrochemical activity. The electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide was assessed as well, demonstrating a good sensitivity and a linear detection range of 3–200 µM. Additionally, the self-doped TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes exhibited an enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the untreated substrate: the degradation potential of methylene blue under UV light exposure increased by 25% in comparison to undoped materials. Overall, this study highlights the potential of ultrafast electrochemical self-doping to unleash and improve TiO<sub>2</sub> nanotubes performances for electroanalytical and photocatalytic applications.