Preparation and photocatalytic properties of N-doped nano-TiO2/muscovite composites

Using muscovite as the carrier, TiCl4 as the source of titanium, urea as the neutralizer, nano-TiO2/muscovite composites (TiO2/M) were prepared by the method of hydrolysis–precipitation. Then N-doped TiO2/M composites were prepared by using urea as dopant after calcination at 500 °C for 2 h. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, XPS and DUV methods. The photocatalytic activity of samples was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation (halogen lamp, 250 W). The results showed that the surfaces of muscovite were uniformly coated by nano-TiO2, which combined with the muscovite surface via the Sisingle bondOsingle bondTi and Osingle bondTisingle bondN bonds. The grain growth of TiO2 and the phase transformation from anatase to rutile were restrained by the doping of nitrogen. Meanwhile, the absorption edge of samples after doping exhibited red-shift from 390 nm to 430 nm, showing obvious response to visible light. The degradation rate of methyl orange (20 mg L−1) reached 67.15% after irradiation of 250 W halogen lamp for 1 h (doping ratio was 1:3), while the degradation rate of un-doped sample was just 8%.