Premium
The Role of Nb Addition in TiO 2 Nanoparticles: Phase Transition and Photocatalytic Properties
Author(s) -
da Silva Luís F.,
Avansi Waldir,
Catto Ariadne C.,
Rodrigues João E. F. S.,
Bernardi Maria I. B.,
Mastelaro Valmor R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201800321
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , raman spectroscopy , rhodamine b , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , anatase , rutile , materials science , methylene blue , nanoparticle , differential thermal analysis , phase transition , phase (matter) , spectroscopy , photochemistry , chemical engineering , diffraction , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , nanotechnology , catalysis , organic chemistry , physics , optics , engineering , quantum mechanics
This paper reports an experimental investigation on the effects of Nb addition on the phase transformation and photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 nanoparticles. Differential thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction measurements reveal that Nb addition retarded the anatase‐to‐rutile phase transition. Photocatalysis experiments indicate an enhancement of the degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B dyes with the addition of Nb to TiO 2 lattice. This behavior was attributed to the presence of Nb ions acting as active sites formers as well as the removal of organic species, since the presence of hydroxyls groups remained unchanged, as revealed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy.