Metallic zinc-assisted synthesis of Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 with tunable phase composition and visible-light photocatalytic activity

Stable Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 with tunable phase composition and highly efficient visible-light photoactivity (ca. 32.7 times stronger than an undoped sample for (OH)-O-center dot formation) was synthesized via a facile metallic zinc-assisted method. The surface Ti3+ species can be stabilized by Zn doping, and the photocatalytic selectivity can be regulated by the phase composition.