Preparation and Photocatalytic Activities of Visible-light-driven TiO2 Films Codoped with Aluminum and Nitrogen

The titania films codoped by aluminum and nitrogen have been prepared by cathodic vacuum arc with titanium aluminum alloy target in an O-2/N-2 gas mixture. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-rayphotoelectron spectra (XPS) and ultraviolet-visible spectra (UV-vis). The results showed that all films annealled were crystalline anatase structure with a (101) preferential orientation, XPS revealed that Al and N were successfully doped into the lattice of TiO2. The optical properties of the films revealed that the spectrum response of the Al, N-codoped TiO2 films extended from the UV region to the visible region. The absorption of the Al, N-codoped TiO2 film in the visible region(> 400 nm) was enhanced, compared with the pure TiO2 film and N-doped TiO2 film. The Al, N-codoped TiO2 film showed the best photocatalytic activities for the oxidative destruction of Acid Fuchsin (AF) under visible light irradiation.