xla-3%in-tio₂ photocatalytic material prepared by sol-gel method

A sol-gel method was applied to prepare xLa-3%(mole fraction,the same below)In-TiO₂ photocatalytic materials,which were characterized by XRD, SEM, surface area, and pore size distribution measures. Photocatalytic activity of the materials was also evaluated. The results show that the materials are in tetragonal anatase structure. Crystalline size of TiO₂ decreases after doping La and In. In³⁺ and La³⁺ exist in TiO₂ crystal lattice by substituting Ti⁴⁺. La doping results in enlarging surface area and shrinking pore size. Pore size of xLa-3%In-TiO₂ is mainly in the range of 1.5-10nm. Doping of La obviously leads to enhanced photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic rate constants of methyl orange are 0.061min^-1 and 0.029min^-1 on 0.3%La-3%In-TiO₂ and 3%In-TiO₂, respectively. The chromogenic groups in methyl orange molecules can be degraded during photocatalytic process.