Li–Y doped and codoped TiO2 thin films: Enhancement of photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Sol−gel synthesis based on the self-assembling template method has been applied to synthesize Li–Y doped and co-doped TiO2 not only to improve simultaneously the structural and electronic properties of TiO2 nanomaterials but also to achieve Li–Y doping of titania with high photocatalytic reactivity. The characterization of the samples was performed by GXRD, GSDR, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy. According to the GXRD patterns, all the observed reflections can be indexed using the anatase form of TiO2, Which is confirmed by ground state diffuse reflectance and micro-Raman spectra. The Li–Y doped titania materials immobilized as nanostructured thin films on glass substrates exhibit high photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of toluidine and benzoic acid under visible light irradiation. The development of these visible light-activated nanocatalysts has the potential of providing environmentally benign routes for water treatment.