Preparation and characterization of nitrogen-doped titania nanotubes

Nitrogen-doped TiO(2) nanotubes were synthesized by annealing of the anodized titania nanotubes with ammonia at the temperature of 500 degrees C. The ordered structure of titania nanotubes maintained after the nitrogen doping process, as is evidenced by SEM observations. Detailed structural analysis revealed that the phase transformation temperature of titania nanotube from anatase to rutile is decreased after nitrogen doping. The XRD patterns of nitrogen-doped titania exhibit an increased peak intensity and a decreased FWHM in the (110) peak of rutile in comparison with those of undoped titania under the same annealing conditions, indicating that nitrogen doping may have facilitated the phase transition at the annealing temperature of 500 degrees C, which is in consistence with the analysis of Raman spectra as the comparison of A(1g) and E(g) Raman peaks of rutile in the nitrogen-doped and undoped titania. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.