In situ FTIR spectroscopy study of the photodegradation of acetaldehyde and azo dye photobleaching on bismuth-modified TiO2.

The photocatalytic properties of bismuth-modified titania were studied by photobleaching of two aqueous azo dyes solutions (Reactive Black 5 and Acid Orange 7), and by photoinduced decomposition (PID) of acetaldehyde using in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Low bismuth doping concentrations up to 3 at.% is shown to lead to an increased photobleaching rate of both azo dyes solutions. Too high Bi dopant concentrations lead to less developed crystallite nanoparticles and exhibit weaker adsorption capacity. Bismuth doping altered the adsorption kinetics of acetaldehyde resulting in different surface products, and a modified photocatalytic reaction pathway was inferred.