Using the Mössbauer spectroscopy of 121Sb nuclei to differentiate the effects of Cr and Sb co-dopants on the photocatalytic activity of anatase-type polycrystalline TiO2 powders

Resumo

The rates of the photocatalytic decolorization of methyl orange solutions in the presence of anatase powders modified by Cr³⁺ and Sb⁵⁺ co-dopants are compared with allowance for data on the actual valence state of antimony in the catalyst, obtained using ¹²¹Sb Mössbauer spectroscopy. The reported results point to the catalytic activity of the Cr⁶⁺ ions formed to compensate for the Cr³⁺ charge deficit in antimony-free samples.