The electronic and optical properties of Eu/Si-codoped anatase TiO2 photocatalyst

The electronic and optical properties of Eu/Si-codoped anatase TiO2 are investigated using the density functional theory. The calculated results show that the synergistic effects of Eu/Si codoping can effectively extend the optical absorption edge, which can lead to higher visible-light photocatalytic activities than pure anatase TiO2. To verify the reliability of our calculated results, nanocrystalline Eu/Si-codoped TiO2 is prepared by a sol-gel-solvothermal method, and the experimental results also indicate that the codoping sample exhibits better absorption performance and higher photocatalytic activities than pure TiO2. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3692750]