Photodegradation of phenanthrene by N-doped TiO2 photocatalyst.

The photodegradation of phenanthrene has been catalyzed by nanostructures of TiO2 doped with nitrogen, N-doped TiO2. The N-doped TiO2 was prepared from the sol-gel reaction of Titanium(IV) bis(ethyl acetoacetato)diisopropoxide with 25% ammonia solution. The N-doped TiO2 was calcined at various temperatures from 300 to 700 degrees C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that N-doped TiO2 remained amorphous at 300 degrees C but anatase-to-rutile transformation started at 400 degrees C and was complete at 700 degrees C. The average particle size calculated from Scherrer's equation was in the range of 9-51 nm with surface area (S(BET)) of 253.7-4.8 m2/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the incorporation of nitrogen atoms (Ti-N bond) in the N-doped catalyst. Moreover, the percentage of nitrogen determined by Elemental analysis was 0.236% of N-doped calcined at 400 degrees C. UV-Vis reflection spectra indicated that N-doped TiO2 calcined at 400 degrees C shifted to the higher absorption edge in the range of visible light. N-doped TiO2 calcined at 400 degrees C successfully catalyzed the photodegradation of phenanthrene (80% conversion) whereas N-doped TiO2 calcined at 500 degrees C and P25 TiO2 failed as catalysts.