Chemical characteristics of new nanopowder of titania doped with nitrogen atoms

Characteristics of new nitrogen doped TiO₂ prepared in an one-pot synthesis where titania (IV) complexes with ligands containing nitrogen atoms were used as a precursor are presented in this paper. The pale yellow nanopowder with crystallite size of 9 - 12 nm is obtained as a product of calcination at 310°C and repeated washing procedure. Elemental analysis shows that nitrogen (1.087 at. pct.) is present in obtained material. The morphology and microstructure of samples were examined by XRD, AFM, UV-VIS and FTIR-ATR techniques. These studies confirm that obtained powder demonstrates a significant decrease in the band gap energy value (E_g = 2.83 eV) comparing to pure TiO₂ (E_g 3.22 eV). Presence of N-Ti-O bonds was confirmed via FTIR ATR. Products of the powder thermal decomposition were detected using TG-DSC technique coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). The report presents electrochemical studies which allow estimation of a flatband potential E_fb on the basis of the Mott-Schottky relation.