Abstract
TiO2 nanospheres and Sn/TiO2 nanospheres were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, Pl, UV-Vis, BET, SEM, and TEM. The results reveal that Sn4+ replaces a small part of the Ti4+ from the TiO2 lattice. Doping of Sn increases the surface area of the TiO2 nanospheres. Doping of Sn leads to a decrease in the band gap of the TiO2 nanospheres and increases the lifetime of the electron-hole recombination. Doping of Sn into the TiO2 nanospheres enhances the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanospheres for the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline under visible light. The optimal Sn loading was found to be 4 wt%. The photocatalytic activity of the 4 wt% Sn/TiO2 nanospheres is approximately 80 times greater than the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanospheres. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.