Hydrothermal fabrication of Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 nanorods with high visible light photocatalytic activity

The Ti3+ self-doped anatase TiO2 nanorods (TNs) with diameter of 15-30 nm and length of 80-100 nm have been successfully fabricated by the hydrothermal method. The as-prepared Ti3+ self-doped TNs were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The as-prepared samples show a greatly enhanced absorbance edge in visible light range and exhibit higher phtotcatalytic activities than pure TNs under visible light irradiation. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved