Unraveling the impact of microwave-assisted techniques in the fabrication of yttrium-doped TiO2 photocatalyst

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the role of microwave technology in the fabrication of yttrium-doped TiO2 through a comparative analysis of hydrothermal techniques. Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis offers advantages, but a comprehensive comparison between microwave-assisted and conventional methods is lacking. Therefore, in our investigation, we systematically evaluate and compare the morphological, structural, and optical properties of yttrium-doped TiO2 samples synthesized using both techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm the anatase tetragonal structure of the synthesized TiO2-Y systems, while the larger ion radius of yttrium (Y3+) compared to titanium (Ti4+) presents challenges for yttrium to incorporate into the TiO2 lattice. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a significant difference in the atomic content of yttrium between the TiO2-Y systems synthesized using microwave-assisted and conventional methods. This finding suggests that the rapid microwave method is more effective in successfully doping TiO2 with rare earth metals such as yttrium. The photo-oxidation of carbamazepine (CBZ) using TiO2-Y systems demonstrated high efficiency under UV-LED light. Microwave-synthesized TiO2-Y demonstrates improved photo-oxidation efficiency of CBZ, attributed to enhanced absorption, charge transfer, surface area, and crystallite size. Overall, the microwave-synthesized TiO2-Y systems showed promising performance for the photo-oxidation of CBZ, with improved efficiency compared to conventional synthesis methods.