Synergistic effect of Cobalt on Nitrogen and Carbon codoped Anatase Titania for Photodegradation under Visible Light

摘要

This work reports on the synergistic effect of cobalt on Carbon and Nitrogen codoped anatase titania photocatalysts prepared via sol-gel method using urea as the nitrogen source. Visible light activity is achieved as result of anion doping and further improvement is manifested in the photocatalytic activity with the cobalt doping. The photocatalysts prepared are characterized using various analytical techniques. Diffuse reflectance spectral (DRS) analysis shows visible light absorption. Efficient dispersion of cobalt and anatase phase stability is clear from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Photodegradability under visible light is investigated using methylene blue which is a widely used dye in photodegredation studies. Titania upon C & N codoping shows good activity in very dilute solutions whereas with cobalt doping, the activity is retained even at higher dye concentrations. Reaction parameters are optimized to improve the photodegradation capacity of the prepared systems. Present systems show excellent activity even within 15 minutes and are found to be reusable as well.