Lanthanide-doped TiO2 nanoparticles-modified electrode for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of dye

Abstract

Lanthanide-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (La-TiO2NP)- modified electrode was successfully prepared by the sol-gel and dip-coating methods on the indium tin oxide electrode. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectra were used to characterize its structure and composition. The degradation efficiency of methyl orange could be increased by 26.17% with the La-TiO 2NP-modified electrode compared with that using the pure TiO 2NP-modified electrode under applied voltage of 0.3 V with illumination. The as-prepared electrode also exhibited good repeatability and reproducibility. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.