Abstract
A series of fullerene (C 60 )-modified anatase TiO 2 (a-TiO 2 ) nanocomposites with different weight loadings of C 60 were successfully synthesized by a simple solution phase method. The as-prepared C 60 @a-TiO 2 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), UV–vis diffuse reflectance absorption spectra (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) by the neat a-TiO 2 and C 60 @a-TiO 2 nanocomposites was investigated under UV-A light irradiation, demonstrating that C 60 effectively enhances the photocatalytic activity of a-TiO 2 nanoparticles with an optimal amount of 2.0 wt%. By combining with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigated the electronic structures of C 60 @a-TiO 2 hetero-interfaces to reveal the underlying principle of the C 60 loading on the photocatalytic activity. It was found that the incorporation of C 60 on the a-TiO 2 surface not only narrowed the band gap, but also introduced an additional doping state between the valance and conduction band. Therefore, the presence of intermediate electronic state will in turn contribute to the efficient charge separation and enhanced light adsorption for the C 60 @a-TiO 2 nanocomposites, resulting in an improved photocatalytic performance.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 750-758 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Applied Surface Science |
Volume | 387 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Nov 2016 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Anatase nanoparticles
- DFT calculation
- Fullerene modification
- Photocatalyst
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- Condensed Matter Physics
- General Physics and Astronomy
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films