Characterization and Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity of Cerium- and Iron-Doped Titanium Dioxide Sol−Gel Materials

Cerium- and iron-based titanium dioxide catalysts are made at varying concentrations and cured at different temperatures to develop a new class of photocatalysts that displays catalytic activity for volatile organic compound destruction when irradiated with visible light. These catalysts are characterized using X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, UV−vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and BET surface area analyses. The potential of these catalysts to destroy indoor air volatile organics is evaluated using a tubular reactor flow channel with visible light irradiated interior surfaces through which air contaminated with toluene, decane, ethanol, acetaldehyde, or linalool is reacted. It was found that both cerium- and iron-doped titania have lower band-gap energy than pure titania and can be activated with visible light. The anatase and rutile phase transitions of these doped titania is however similar to pure titania and is unaffected by dopants. The crystalinity is however altered and crystal sizes ...