Photocatalytic degradation of different chromophoric dyes in aqueous phase using La and Mo doped TiO2 hybrid carbon spheres

La and Mo-doped TiO2 coated carbon spheres have been synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The prepared materials were characterized by standard analytical techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman spectroscopic analysis showed that the particles are in anatase phase. The EDX and SEM images showed that La/Mo-doped TiO2 are present on the surface of the carbon spheres. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized particles were tested by studying the degradation of three different chromophoric dyes, i.e., Acid Yellow 29 (azo dye), Coomassie Brilliant Blue G250 (triphenylmethane dye) and Acid Green 25 (anthraquinone dye) as a function of time on irradiation in aqueous suspension. TiO2 particle with dopant concentration of 2.0% La and 1.5% Mo showed the highest photocatalytic activity as compared to the other dopant concentrations for the degradation of all the dyes under investigation. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.