<i>x</i>La-3%In-TiO₂ Photocatalytic Material Prepared by Sol-gel Method

Abstract

A sol-gel method was applied to prepare xLa-3%(mole fraction,the same below)In-TiO2 photocatalytic materials,which were characterized by XRD, SEM, surface area, and pore size distribution measures. Photocatalytic activity of the materials was also evaluated. The results show that the materials are in tetragonal anatase structure. Crystalline size of TiO2 decreases after doping La and In. In3+ and La3+ exist in TiO2 crystal lattice by substituting Ti4+. La doping results in enlarging surface area and shrinking pore size. Pore size of xLa-3%In-TiO2 is mainly in the range of 1.5-10nm. Doping of La obviously leads to enhanced photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic rate constants of methyl orange are 0.061min-1 and 0.029min-1 on 0.3%La-3%In-TiO2 and 3%In-TiO2, respectively. The chromogenic groups in methyl orange molecules can be degraded during photocatalytic process.

Keywords

• TiO₂
• sol-gel
• photocatalysis
• methyl orange