Surface chemical analysis on the carbon-doped mesoporous TiO₂ photocatalysts after post-thermal treatment: XPS and FTIR characterization

Mesoporous carbon-doped TiO₂ nanoparticle was prepared by combining a hydrothermal process with a post-thermal treatment, where glucose was used as a carbon-doping source. Physicochemical properties of the carbon-doped TiO₂ nanoparticle were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption/desorption. Results indicate that post-thermal treatment of the carbon-doped TiO₂ has not only little influence on the crystal size but also can increase the specific surface area and the pore volume slightly, Also a slightly increase of the specific surface area and the pore volume of the sample was due to the removing of carbonaceous organic materials during post-thermal process. And the post-thermal treatment is an effective and facile method to change the surface chemical structure of the carbon-doped TiO₂ for using as photocatalysts.