Fine Control of Nitrogen Content in N-doped Titania Photocatalysts Prepared from Layered Titania/Isostearate Nanocomposites for High Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity

In this contribution, high photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation realized by means of the fine control of the nitrogen content in doped titania photocatalysts is reported. The photocatalyst samples were prepared from a layered titania/isostearate nanocomposite as precursor, and the fine control of nitrogen content was achieved by the adjustment of the amount of hybridized isostearate in the nanocomposite, preserving the crystallinity and specific surface area of the final samples. Photocatalytic activity under the UV-light irradiation (290 and 350 nm) decreases with nitrogen content. Under visible-light irradiation (470 nm), a maximum value of photocatalytic activity was observed at [N]/[Ti] = 0.0145, whereas the absorbance in the visible-light region increases with nitrogen content. Fine control of the doped-nitrogen content provides a possible route to achieving high visible-light photocatalytic activity where the maximum value of the apparent quantum yield under 470 nm light irradiation exceeds 2%.