Preparation and photocatalytic property of Ce3+-doped titanium dioxide nanotubes

To enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2, different concentration of Ce3+-doped TiO2 nanotubes were prepared using a sol-gel method combined with a hydrothermal process. After being calcined at 450°C, the morphology, composition, and crystal structures were investigated by SEM, TEM, XRD, and EDS. The samples' photocatalytic performance was characterized by degrading methylene blue under illumination of a 250 W UV-light. The result showed that both ends of the nanotubes were ringent and consisted of many layers. Their length could reach to hundred nanometers and the thickness of the walls was about 9 nm. The low-concentration Ce3+ did not influence the nanostructure and crystal structure but has a large correlation with the photocatalytic efficiency. The sample with the concentration of 1.5% performed best in photocatalytic reaction.