Indium doping in sol-gel synthesis of In-Sm co-doped xIn-0.05%Sm-TiO2 composite photocatalyst
Abstract Sol-gel method was used to prepare a novel In-Sm co-doped TiO2 photocatalyst. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared/far infrared, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance, and N2 adsorption-desorption analyses. Anatase phase TiO2 is formed in the pure and doped TiO2 samples. Anatase TiO2 crystal formation and growing are disturbed by the dopants. The substitution of smaller Ti4+ ions by the larger Sm3+ and In3+ ions causes the expansion of TiO2 cell. The doping of indium and samarium ions has no noticeable influence on the bonding characters of TiO2. A continuous red shift of the absorption edge of xIn-0.05%Sm-TiO2 occurs at increasing indium doping content. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, average pore size, and total pore volume are enhanced after doping of samarium and indium. The adsorption of methyl orange on the surface of xIn-0.05%Sm-TiO2 increases with rising indium content. The 5%In-0.05%Sm-TiO2 has the maximum photocatalytic activity. About 97.7% of the initial methyl orange is decolorized on 5%In-0.05%Sm-TiO2 after 45 min of irradiation.