CO-DOPING EFFECT OF CARBON AND YTTRIUM ON PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF TiO2 NANOPARTICLES FOR METHYL ORANGE DEGRADATION

Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2), co-doped with carbon (C) and yttrium (Y) were prepared by hydrothermal method using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP), glucose and Y2O3 as precursors. The prepared samples calcined at 500 degrees C were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). XRD results showed anatase phase of TiO2 nanoparticles and crystallite size of TiO2 nanoparticles were decreased with doping of C and Y. The decrease of particle size was also confirmed by TEM. FTIR measurements demonstrate the identification of functional groups present at the surface of TiO2. Absorption spectra showed a red shift of absorption band edge in visible light region due to synergistic effects of Y and C. The photocatalytic activity measurements were performed for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under visible light illumination. The results obtained demonstrated that photocatalytic activity was enhanced due to doping and codoping of C and Y. It is expected that this work will give new insights in the developments of novel visible light active photocatalysts for environmental issues.