The rare earth ion Ce 4+ doped TiO 2 was prepared by sol-gel method. The average particle sizes are about 10 nm for sol phase and 55 nm for polycrystalline phase. The photocatalytic activities to degrade Reactive Brilliant Red Dye X-3B were investigated. The result reveals that the spectrum response of Ce 4+-TiO 2 has extended to visible region from the UV region(λ<387 nm) of pure TiO 2. Amorphous phase Ce 4+-TiO 2 sol with an electron scavenger (1.0% atom fraction Ce 4+ ion doping amount) shows the capability of the photocatalytic degradation of the dye X-3B as well as the nanocrystallite Ce 4+-TiO 2 with an interband trap site. Despite of the difference in the morphology of Ce 4+-TiO 2 photocatalyst, there is no apparent difference in respect of the decoloring effects. Whereas, polycrystalline phase Ce 4+-TiO 2 exhibits strong photomineralization power in comparison with the amorphous phase. The photocatalytic oxidation mechanisms of the dye molecule mainly involved in the self-photo-sensitization photolysis process by the first excited singlet oxygen ( 1O 2) and photocatalysis process by hydroxyl radicals(·OH) under visible light irradiation.
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