Abstract
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•Porous Ga3+ doped TiO2 nanostructures have been successfully prepared using plant waste extract.•Formation of porous TiO2 anatase with high surface area compared to pure TiO2.•Ga doping was found to greatly enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2.
Green and porous Ga3+ doped TiO2 nanostructures have been successfully prepared using plant waste extract and ultrasonic irradiation. The produced nanomaterials have been investigated using XRD, Raman, FTIR, SEM, TEM, BET and XPS. The results revealed the formation of micro-/macro-porous TiO2 anatase with high surface area compared to pure TiO2 prepared under identical conditions. All results revealed the successful incorporation of Ga3+ ions in the TiO2 crystal at all gallium ratio while XPS results showed the formation of Ga2O3 at high gallium concentration (5 and 10 wt. %). The effect of Ga doping was found to greatly enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 for MB and phenol degradation with best result obtained for 0.5 wt. % of Ga.