Augmented photocatalytic activity and luminescence response of Tb³⁺ doped nanoscale titania systems

The present work reports on the effect of Tb³⁺ doping on the luminescence and photocatalytic performance of nano-structured titania derived through a sol-gel route. X-ray diffraction patterns have revealed the existence of anatase phase with and without Tb³⁺ doping and with an improved orientation factor along (004) and (200) planes. Transmission electron microscopy and selective area electron diffraction studies, while exhibiting ample poly-crystallinity feature, have predicted an average particle size of ∼9 nm and ∼6 nm for the un-doped and 5% Tb³⁺ doped nano-titania samples; respectively. Apart from emissions accompanied by different types of defects, Tb³⁺ related transitions, such as, ⁵D₃ → ⁷F₅, ⁵D₃ → ⁷F₄, and ⁵D₄ → ⁷F₆ were identified in the photoluminescence spectra. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, as carried out on a Tb³⁺ doped nano-titania system, has demonstrated a more-open hysteretic loop owing to significant difference of N₂ adsorption/desorption rates. The photocatalytic activity of nano-titania, as evaluated from the nature of degradation of methyl orange under UV illumination, exhibited the highest efficiency for a Tb³⁺ doping level of 2.5%. The augmented photocatalytic degradation has also been discussed in the light of a model based on pseudo first-order kinetics.