Synthesis of Iron(III)-doped titania nanoparticles and its application for photodegradation of sulforhodamine-B pollutant

Iron(III)-doped titania nanoparticles were prepared by modified sol-gel method using titanium (IV) butoxide and inorganic precursor iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate. Spectroscopic measurements show the onset of the band-gap transition to be red-shifted (similar to lambda = 475 nm) to the visible region with increasing iron(III) ion content. Characterizations were preformed by X-ray diffractometry, electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photocatalysis experiments were performed with dye pollutant sulforhodamine-B in aqueous environment. Direct photocatalytic effect was observed in the dye degradation experiments when irradiated with visible light into the band gap of the iron(III)-doped titania.