Hierarchical N-doped TiO2 hollow microspheres consisting of nanothorns with exposed anatase {101} facets.

A green solvothermal synthesis approach employing water as a hollowing controller and diethylenetriamine as both crystal growth stabilizer and N dopant source to the preparation of hierarchical N-doped TiO(2) hollow microspheres comprised of nanothorns with exposed anatase {101} facets is established. The superstructured TiO(2) shows excellent photocatalytic activities in degrading dyes under visible light irradiation. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011