• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.675-678
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• 2009

$Fe_2O_3,\;Ag_2O,\;CaWO_4$ and $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb loaded on titanium dioxide photocatalysts (P25, Degussa) were prepared by a calcination. Their composite films containing water-born polyurethane used as a material for immobilization were obtained by spray coating technique. The photocatalytic activity of the titanium dioxide films was characterized by decrease of UV-vis absorption spectra for methylene blue and gas chromatography for photocatalytic decomposition of formaldehyde diluted in water. It was shown that the $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb modified titanium dioxide films had good photocatalytic properties and followed the first-order kinetic model with regard to photocatalytic decoloration of methylene blue. Especially in formaldehyde photodegradation experiment, decrease rate of concentration of the titanium dioxide films with $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb modifying was about 35% larger than that of the unloaded titanium dioxide film.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.967-974
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• 2018

In this study, we evaluated the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency of aromatic volatile hydrocarbons by using $WO_3$-doped $TiO_2$ nanotubes (WTNTs) under visible-light irradiation. One-dimensional WTNTs were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal method and impregnation. XRD analysis revealed successful incorporation of $WO_3$ into $TiO_2$ nanotube (TNT) structures. UV-Vis spectra exhibited that the synthesized WTNT samples can be activated under visible light irradiation. FE-SEM and TEM images showed the one-dimensional structure of the prepared TNTs and WTNTs. The photocatalytic oxidation efficiencies of toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene were higher using WTNT samples than undoped TNT. These results were explained based on the charge separation ability, adsorption capability, and light absorption of the sample photocatalysts. Among the different light sources, light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) are more highly energy-efficient than 8-W daylight used for the photocatalytic oxidation of toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene, though the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency is higher for 8-W daylight.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.2849-2853
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• 2010

A method to improve the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide by modification with a sensitizer and a metal oxide is proposed. To achieve this goal, we used metal oxides as dopants. In particular, $CaWO_4$ and $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb were used because their 2.6 eV and 2.2 eV band gap energy and optical properties have a large positive effect on photocatalysis. The improvement in the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ modified with $Gd_2O_2S$:Tb under ultraviolet light irradiation is described in a previous study. The present work focuses on the sensitization of metal oxide-modified $TiO_2$. Having observed the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra of 3,4,9,10-Perylenetetracarboxylic diimide in the wide visible-light region from 400 nm to 650 nm and the broad peaks in its photoluminescence spectra at 695 nm and 717 nm, we decided to use this perylene dye to sensitize modified $TiO_2$ to enhance its activity as a visible-light harvesting photocatalyst. We also explored the positive effects thin-film surface changes stemming from ultraviolet pre-treatment have on photocatalytic activity. Finally, we subjected several metal oxide-modified $TiO_2$ products sensitized by the perylene dye to ultraviolet pre-treatment, obtaining the most active photocatalysts.