(Mo + N) codoped TiO2 for enhanced visible-light photoactivity

A series of Ti1−xMoxO2−yNy samples were prepared by using sol–gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. All Ti1−xMoxO2−yNy samples are anatase phase. It is found that Mo, N mono-doping can increase visible light absorption, while (Mo + N) co-doping can greatly enhance absorption in whole visible region. Results of our first-principles band structure calculations reveal that (Mo + N)-doping, especially passivated co-doping can increase the up-limit of dopant concentration and create more impurity bands in the band gap of TiO2, which leads to a greatly increase of its visible-light absorption without a decrease of its redox potential. It reveals that (Mo + N) co-doped TiO2 is promising for a photocatalyst with high photocalystic activity under visible light.