A new approach toward carbon-modified vanadium-doped titanium dioxide photocatalysts.

Carbon-modified vanadium-doped TiO₂ was successfully prepared with the intention of enhancing the visible-light photocatalytic performance by expanding the absorption in the visible-light region and improving the quantum efficiency of the photocatalytic reaction. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by XRD, Raman, TEM, XPS, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The result indicated that some vanadium ions substituted for Ti⁴⁺ in the lattice of TiO₂, whereas all the carbon was modified on the surface of catalysts in the form of stable graphite-like carbonaceous species. Compared with vanadium doped TiO₂ sample and carbon modified TiO₂ sample, the 0.32C-0.5%V-TiO₂ photocatalyst exhibited excellent visible light activity and the synergistic effects of vanadium and carbon was responsible for improving the photocatalytic activity.