Fabrication of Mo+N-Codoped TiO2 Nanotube Arrays by Anodization and Sputtering for Visible Light-Induced Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Properties

Abstract EN

Mo,N-codoped TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) were fabricated by a two-step method consisting of electrochemical anodization and subsequent magnetron sputtering of Mo.

The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS).

The results showed that the Mo,N-codoped TiO2 nanotube arrays exhibited higher visible light absorbance and remarkably enhanced photocurrent density and photocatalytic activity compared with single N-doped TiO2.

The highly efficient photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activity is associated with the codoping effect between Mo and N, which plays a key role in producing new states, narrowing the bandgap, and reducing the recombination thereby effectively improving the visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity of TNAs.