Preparation of Visible Light Responsive Photocatalyst from Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes Modified with Antimony Trisulfide

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes with a highly ordered structure were grown by a self-organized anodization process. The photodeposition process was used to improve the visible light response of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes. The irradiation was carried out with 500 W halogen lamp for 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min in the mixed ethanol solution of antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3). The obtained samples were annealed at 250 °C for 30 min. The morphology of the fabricated sample was characterized by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The phase of samples was determined by X- ray diffractometer (XRD). The weight percentages of a component in the sample were measured by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) of the samples were recorded. All titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube samples prepared by anodization process were anatase phase. All composite titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube /Sb2S3samples were a crystalline phase. The percentage of Sb and S increase with increasing of photodeposition’s time. The increasing photodeposition of antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) on titanium (TiO2) nanotubes from 1 to 60 min lead to increasing of photoabsorption property of the material in the visible region.