Co-doped (N and Fe) TiO₂ photosensitising nanoparticles and their applications: a review

ABSTRACT

Nanoparticles, considered building blocks of nanotechnology, are a topic of widespread research due to their extraordinary properties that are useful in diverse sectors. Among all nanoparticle types, TiO₂ (anatase) has drawn the most attention, primarily because of its superhydrophilic properties and effective antibacterial actions. Its applications include self-cleaning of solid surfaces, treatment of water and air, production of clean energy, treatment of microbial infections, pesticide management, etc. making TiO₂ a focal point of research in materials science. However, the lack of photosensitivity to visible light (>390 nm) reduces the scope for utilising TiO₂ in photocatalytic processes. Therefore, most studies on TiO₂ nanoparticles have focused on broadening their spectral sensitivity through band gap manipulation for effective photocatalysis under visible light. Researchers have doped/co-doped metals and non-metals, such as N, C, F, S, B, Cu, Fe, V, Pt, etc. to nano-TiO₂ to shorten its band gap with varying degrees of success. This review paper mainly focuses on the mechanism and effectivity of N and Fe co-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles. The progress of scientific research on TiO₂ photocatalysis has introduced an array of new applications using TiO₂ nanoparticles, and these applications have also been discussed in this article.

KEYWORDS:

• TiO₂ nanoparticles
• doping
• Co-doping
• photocatalysis
• anatase
• hydrophilicity
• band-gap
• electron-hole recombination
• applications

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.