Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of Pure and N-, B-, or Ag- Doped TiO2

This article reports the synthesis and characterization of pure and N-, B-, and Ag-doped TiO2 and the ability of these oxides to photodegrade methylene blue (MB) under sunlight or UV-ABC radiation. The compounds were synthesized using the sol-gel method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photocatalytic efficiency was significantly increased by N- doping, resulting in 98% MB decomposition under UV-ABC irradiation for 180 min. Ag- and B- doped TiO2 lowered MB degradation rates to 52 and 73%, respectively, compared with pure TiO2. The same behavior was observed with exposure to UV- Vis, with 88, 65, 60, and 42% MB removal with N- doped, pure, B- doped, and Ag- doped TiO2, respectively. Under visible light alone, N- doped TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic efficiency than commercial P25-type TiO2. Photocatalysis with N- doped TiO2 proved to be a promising alternative for MB degradation, given the potential of employing solar energy, thus minimizing operating costs.