Effect of Iron-Doping on the Structure and Photocatalytic Activity of TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles

oleh: Cátia Afonso, Orlando Lima, Iran Rocha Segundo, Salmon Landi, Élida Margalho, Natália Homem, Mário Pereira, Manuel F. M. Costa, Elisabete Freitas, Joaquim Carneiro

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-12-01

Deskripsi

This research reports a simple, innovative, and low-cost doping method of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles presenting the effects of calcination and the weight ratio of TiO<sub>2</sub>:FeCl<sub>3</sub> (1:0.33–1:4.5). The photocatalytic activity of the nanomaterials was investigated by decolorizing Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in an aqueous solution. The main results showed that there is anatase-to-rutile transformation after the calcination process. The Fe-doped process modified the TiO<sub>2</sub> spectrum and showed a connection in the Ti–O–Fe vibration. The particle size is within the nanometer range, between 20–51 nm, except for calcined TiO<sub>2</sub>. The inclusion of Fe in TiO<sub>2</sub> decreased the band gap energy from 3.16 (reference) up to 2.06 eV (1:3). Additionally, after the calcination, there was a decrease in this value from 3.03 eV (reference) up to 1.95 eV (1:1.6). The TiO<sub>2</sub>, with a ratio of (1:1.6), showed the highest activity in the photocatalytic degradation of RhB with an efficiency of 93.8% after 3 h of irradiation.