Photocatalytic performance of nitrogen, osmium co-doped TiO2 for removal of eosin yellow in water under simulated solar radiation.

Nitrogen, osmium co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by a modified sol-gel method using ammonia as the nitrogen source and osmium tetroxide as the source of osmium. The role of rutile phase OsO2 in enhancing the photocatalytic activity of rutile TiO2 towards the degradation of Eosin Yellow was investigated. The materials were characterised by various techniques that include FTIR, Raman, XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, TGA and DRUV-Vis. The amorphous, oven dried sample was transformed to the anatase and then the rutile phase with increasing calcination temperature. DRUV-Vis analysis revealed a red shift in absorption with increasing calcination temperature, confirmed by a decrease in the band gap of the material. The photocatalytic activity of N, Os co-doped TiO2 was evaluated using eosin yellow degradation and activity increased with increase in calcination temperature under simulated solar irradiation. The rutile phase of the co-doped TiO2 was found to be more effective in degrading the dye (k(a) = 1.84 x 10(-2) min(-1)) compared to the anatase co-doped phase (k(a) = 9.90 x 10(-3) min(-1)). The enhanced photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the synergistic effects of rutile TiO2 and rutile OsO2 in the N, Os co-doped TiO2.