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Photoelectrochemical properties and crystalline structure change of Sb-doped TiO2 thin films prepared by the sol-gel method

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Abstract

Ti1-XSbXO2 samples were obtained from dip-coating sol-gel method and a subsequent anneal at 450 °C. They had an average crystallite size of 13.3–20 nm. Cyclic voltammograms taken under ultraviolet (UV) and Xe lamp illumination in a 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte showed that the Sb-doped samples had greater photocurrent densities than pure titania electrode, with an optimal Sb concentration of 0.2%. Oxidative peaks were observed in the cyclic voltammograms obtained in the dark after certain exposure duration to UV light. X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra show a phase transformation from brookite to anatase in the samples with Sb concentration up to 0.2%. Ti4+ ions were substituted by Sb to form the anatase structure of Sb–O–Ti, improving the crystallization efficiency. The Sb–Sb bonds were formed due to the introduction of excessive Sb atoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, People’s Republic of China

    Zongmin Bei, Dasen Ren, Xiaoli Cui, Jie Shen, Xiliang Yang & Zhuangjian Zhang

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  1. Zongmin Bei
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  2. Dasen Ren
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  3. Xiaoli Cui
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  4. Jie Shen
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  5. Xiliang Yang
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  6. Zhuangjian Zhang
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Correspondence to Dasen Ren.

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Bei, Z., Ren, D., Cui, X. et al. Photoelectrochemical properties and crystalline structure change of Sb-doped TiO2 thin films prepared by the sol-gel method. Journal of Materials Research 19, 3189–3195 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2004.0412

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