Efficient P- and Ag-doped titania for the photocatalytic degradation of waste water organic pollutants

Abstract In this work, physico-chemical properties and photocatalytic activity of three types of dried or dried and calcined TiO 2 materials, synthesized by the cogelation method, were studied: (i) a pure TiO 2 xerogel; (ii) TiO 2 xerogels doped with Ag; (iii) TiO 2 xerogels co-doped with Ag and P. The presence of silver nanoparticles was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the oxidation state of silver after calcination was examined by temperature programmed reduction (TPR) measurements. The physico-chemical properties of xerogels were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy (DR UV–Vis) and from nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was quantified for the p -nitrophenol degradation under visible light.