Abstract
Electrospun \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) and Ce-doped \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) nanofibers were prepared with 0.5, 2.0 and 8.0 % weight Ce. The structural properties and phase composition were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) at the Ti K-edge. The undoped nanofibers are composed of an assembly of \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) nanoparticles and their crystal structure is a mixture of anatase and rutile phases with an anatase:rutile volume ratio close to 3:1. As Ce is introduced, the nanoparticles decrease in size and the rutile phase volume decreases. Ce \(\hbox {L}_3\)-edge XANES probed the local structure of Ce dopants. At 0.5 % Ce, most Ce ions are incorporated in the \(\hbox {Ce}^{3+}\) charge state but, at 2 % Ce, the majority are \(\hbox {Ce}^{4+}\). Visible light absorption indicated that \(\hbox {Ce}^{3+}\) act as shallow acceptors that only participate in absorption of wavelengths below 420 nm but \(\hbox {Ce}^{4+}\) impurity states are associated with absorption of wavelengths up to 550 nm. Photocatalytic performance of the nanofibers was assessed by measuring the degradation of adsorbed Rhodamine B in aqueous solution under visible and ultraviolet light. The 0.5 % Ce-doped \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) nanofiber showed the best visible-light photocatalytic activity, which is probably due to the majority presence of \(\hbox {Ce}^{3+}\). At higher Ce concentration, the photocatalytic reaction rate was lower than undoped nanofibers, indicating that recombination at the \(\hbox {Ce}^{4+}\) sites is rate limiting.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
U. Diebold, Surf. Sci. Rep. 48, 53 (2003)
M.R. Hoffmann, S.T. Martin, W. Choi, D.W. Bahneman, Chem. Rev. 95, 69 (1995)
S. Kityakarn, Y. Pooarporn, P. Songsiriritthigul, A. Worayingyong, S. Robl, A.M. Braund, M. Worner, Electrochim. Acta. 83, 113 (2012)
A. Ranga Rao, V. Dutta, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91, 1075–1080 (2007)
D. Li, Y. Xia, Nano Lett. 3, 555–560 (2003)
B. Sun, P.G. Smirniotis, Catal. Today 88, 49–59 (2003)
R. Schaub, E. Wahlstrom, A. Ronnau, E. Laegsgaard, I. Stensgaard, F. Besenbacher, Science 299, 377 (2002)
I. Nakamura, N. Negishi, S. Kutsuna, T. Ihara, S. Sugihara, K. Takeuchi, J. Mol. Catal. A Chem. 161, 205 (2000)
C. Rath, P. Mohanty, A.C. Pandey, N.C. Mishra, J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 42, 205101 (2009)
J. Ananpattarachai, P. Kajitvichyanukul, S. Seraphin, J. Hazard Mater. 168, 253–261 (2009)
A. Silva, C. Silva, G. Drazic, J.L. Faria, Catal. Today 144, 13 (2009)
N. Yan, Z. Zhu, J. Zhang, Z. Zhao, Q. Liu, Mater. Res. Bull. 47, 1869 (2012)
F.B. Li, X.Z. Li, M.F. Hou, K.W. Cheah, W.C.H. Choy, Appl. Catal. A Gen. 285, 181 (2005)
Y. Takahashi, H. Sakami, M. Nomura, Anal. Chim. Acta 468, 345–354 (2002)
H. Sakamoto, J. Qiu, A. Makishima, Sci. Technol. Adv. Mater. 4, 69–76 (2003)
F. Zhang, P. Wang, J. Koberstein, S. Khalid, S.W. Chan, Surf. Sci. 563, 74–82 (2004)
Z. Liu, B. Guo, L. Hong, H. Jiang, J. Phys. Chem. Solids 66, 161–167 (2005)
J. Nowotny, Oxide Semiconductors for Solar Energy Conversion: Titanium dioxide (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2012), p. 189
S. Kityakarn, A. Worayingyong, A. Suramitr, M.F. Smith, Mater. Chem. Phys. 139, 543–549 (2013)
K. Porkodi, S.D. Arokiamary, Mater. Charact. 58, 495–503 (2007)
H. Wang, Y. Wang, Y. Yang, X. Li, C. Wang, Mater. Res. Bull. 44, 408–414 (2009)
W. Nuansing, S. Ninmuang, W. Jarernboon, S. Maensiri, S. Seraphin, Mater. Sci. Eng. B 131, 147–155 (2006)
H. Li, W. Zhang, B. Li, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 93, 2503–2506 (2010)
H. Li, W. Zhang, W. Pan, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 94, 3184–3187 (2011)
M.F. Smith, W. Klysubun, A. Worayingyong, S.B. Zhang, S.-H. Wei, D. Ongkaw, P. Songsiriritthigul, S. Limpijumnong, J. Appl. Phys. 105, 024308 (2009)
T. Tonga, J. Zhanga, B. Tiana, F. Chena, D. Heb, M. Anpoc, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 315, 382 (2007)
A. Fujimori, Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 2518 (1984)
A. Bianconi, A. Marceli, H. Dexpert, R. Karnatak, A. Kotani, T. Jo, J. Petiau, Phys. Rev. B 35, 806 (1987)
E. Fonda, D. Andreatta, P.E. Colavita, G. Vlaic, J. Sych. Radiat. 6, 34 (1999)
A. Worayingyong, A. Nittharach, Y. Poo-arporn, Sci. Asia 30, 341 (2004)
A. Niltharach, Ph.D. dissertation, Chemistry Dept., Kasetsart Univ., Bangkok (2011)
J. Xie, D. Jiang, M. Chen, D. Li, J. Zhu, X. Lu, C. Yan, Colloids Surf. A 372, 107–114 (2010)
C. Su, C. Shao, Y. Liu, J Colloid Interface Sci. 359, 220–227 (2011)
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the supports from Mahidol Wittayanusorn School and Bilateral Research Collaboration Funding from Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University. MFS was supported by Suranaree University of Technology and by the Higher Education Research Promotion and National Research University Project of Thailand, Office of the Higher Education Commission. AW would like to acknowledge the support from Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Worayingyong, A., Sang-urai, S., Smith, M.F. et al. Effects of cerium dopant concentration on structural properties and photocatalytic activity of electrospun Ce-doped TiO2 nanofibers. Appl. Phys. A 117, 1191–1201 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-014-8501-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-014-8501-5