Preparation and Characterization of Copper, Iron, and Nickel Doped Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts for Decolorization of Methylene Blue

The visible-light response is a necessary condition for titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalyst to function as visible light active photocatalyst. This can be solved by investigation of the bandgaps and optimization doping levels multivalency metal-doped TiO2. In this study, pure Cu, Fe, Ni-doped TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared sol‐gel method. characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDX, N2 physisorption, UV‐Vis spectrophotometry techniques. XRD patterns all Cu/TiO2, Fe/TiO2, Ni/TiO2samples showed dominant structure anatase phase. presence functional groups at interface particles was FTIR. FESEM analysis that particle size samples uniform with spherical morphology. EDX results has successfully incorporated Ni metals onto its surface. BET specific surface area doped increased amount doping. optical properties carried out UV-DRS measurements their obtained bandgap energies in range 3.22 - 3.42 eV. displayed more than 98% 97% decolorization rates MB solution end irradiation time 5 h under UV light, respectively. Among samples, 3 mol% Ni/TiO2 Cu/TiO2 demonstrated highest photocatalytic activity (97.65%) 6 (96.86%) decolorization.