Co-doped (N and Fe) TiO2 photosensitising nanoparticles and their applications: a review

ABSTRACTNanoparticles, considered building blocks of nanotechnology, are a topic of widespread research due to their extraordinary properties that are useful in diverse sectors. Among all nanoparticle types, TiO2 (anatase) has drawn the most attention, primarily because of its superhydrophilic properties and effective antibacterial actions. Its applications include self-cleaning of solid surfaces, treatment of water and air, production of clean energy, treatment of microbial infections, pesticide management, etc. making TiO2 a focal point of research in materials science. However, the lack of photosensitivity to visible light (>390 nm) reduces the scope for utilising TiO2 in photocatalytic processes. Therefore, most studies on TiO2 nanoparticles have focused on broadening their spectral sensitivity through band gap manipulation for effective photocatalysis under visible light. Researchers have doped/co-doped metals and non-metals, such as N, C, F, S, B, Cu, Fe, V, Pt, etc. to nano-TiO2 to shorten its band gap with varying degrees of success. This review paper mainly focuses on the mechanism and effectivity of N and Fe co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles. The progress of scientific research on TiO2 photocatalysis has introduced an array of new applications using TiO2 nanoparticles, and these applications have also been discussed in this article.KEYWORDS: TiO2 nanoparticlesdopingCo-dopingphotocatalysisanatasehydrophilicityband-gapelectron-hole recombinationapplications Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.