Fabrication of Mo+N‐Codoped TiO₂ Nanotube Arrays by Anodization and Sputtering for Visible Light‐Induced Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Properties

Abstract

Mo,N‐codoped TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) were fabricated by a two‐step method consisting of electrochemical anodization and subsequent magnetron sputtering of Mo. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet‐visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐Vis DRS). The results showed that the Mo,N‐codoped TiO 2 nanotube arrays exhibited higher visible light absorbance and remarkably enhanced photocurrent density and photocatalytic activity compared with single N‐doped TiO 2 . The highly efficient photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activity is associated with the codoping effect between Mo and N, which plays a key role in producing new states, narrowing the bandgap, and reducing the recombination thereby effectively improving the visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity of TNAs.