Nanoarchitectonics of La-Doped Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles for Optical and Antibacterial Properties

Pure and La-doped titania nanoparticles are prepared by the chemical precipitation method. The stoichiometry of prepared samples is confirmed by EDAX whereas XRD analysis showed rutile tetragonal phase of synthesized pure TiO 2 and La (2%, 4%, 6% and 8%)-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The crystallite size of all samples lies below 50[Formula: see text]nm as calculated from XRD. All the samples show cuboid/ellipsoidal polyhedral kind of morphologies of nanoparticles except La 2% TiO 2 which exhibits nanoflex morphology as seen in TEM images. Raman spectra recorded from low temperature to room temperature have shown [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] fundamental modes supporting the rutile tetragonal structure as reported in XRD. The absorption edge in the UV-Visible spectra of doped samples is shifted towards higher values of wavelength with increase of La in TiO 2 . Photoluminescence spectra at various excitation energies showed the changes in PL intensity as La content is increased. Photocatalytic activity for the constant time interval for pure TiO 2 shows better photodegradation efficiency in comparison to the La-doped TiO 2 . Antibacterial activity of pure TiO 2 is seen to be improved with La doping of 8%-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles.