ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND VISIBLE LIGHT PHOTOCATALYSIS WATER SPLITTING PROPERTY OF CHROMIUM-DOPED SRTIO3

Abstract Cr-doped SrTi 1− x Cr x O 3 ( x =0.00, 0.02, 0.05, 0.10) powders, prepared by solvothermal method, were further characterized by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. The UV–vis spectra indicate that the SrTi 1− x Cr x O 3 powders can absorb not only UV light like pure SrTiO 3 powder but also the visible-light spectrum ( λ >420 nm). The results of density functional theory (DFT) calculation illuminate that the visible-light absorption bands in the SrTi 1− x Cr x O 3 catalyst are attributed to the band transition from the Cr 3 d to the Cr 3 d +Ti 3 d hybrid orbital. The photocatalytic activities of chromium-doped SrTiO 3 both under UV and visible light are increased with the increase in the amounts of chromium.