Novel Route to Obtain Carbon Self-Doped TiO Mesoporous Nanoparticles as Efficient Photocatalysts for Environmental Remediation Processes under Visible Light.

Titanium dioxide materials were synthesized using two different methods. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible diffusion reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DR), Raman spectroscopy, N adsorption/desorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Although both kind of materials were found to have mesoporous structure and anatase crystalline phase, one of them was obtained from a synthesis method that does not involve the use of surfactants, and therefore, does not require calcination at high temperatures.