A one-pot method to prepare N-doped titania hollow spheres with high photocatalytic activity under visible light

N-doped titania hollow spheres (NTHS) were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal method using urea as precursor of nitrogen. The prepared hollow spheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared titania hollow spheres was determined by degradation of Reactive Brilliant Red dye X-3B (C.I. reactive red 2) under visible light irradiation, and was compared to non-doped titania hollow spheres and commercial P25 titania. Results indicated that the as-prepared NTHS showed highest photocatalytic activity.