Doped TiO₂ Nanomaterials and Applications

Call for Papers

TiO₂ nonmaterial has been widely used not only in photocatalytic water-splitting technology, but also in photoassisted degradation and mineralization reactions to abate many organic and inorganic environmental contaminants present in aqueous and atmospheric (to some extent also in soils) ecosystems. Unfortunately, this metal oxide possesses a wide band gap (anatase phase Ebg = ca. 3.2 eV; rutile phase Ebg = ca. 3.0 eV) such that its absorption edge occurs below 400 nm, and thus only about 3%–5% of the total sunlight can photoactivate this metal oxide to generate charge carriers (CB electrons and VB holes) that ultimately can be exploited to promote reduction and oxidation surface processes. This intrinsic property of TiO₂ curtails the overall efficiency based on the total solar radiation reaching the Earth surface. Accordingly, many efforts were expended in the late 1980s to develop second-generation titanium dioxides that could bridge both the UV (290–400 nm) and the visible (400–700 nm) radiation, and thereby enhance the overall efficiency. The requirement was to red-shift the absorption edge of TiO₂ to wavelengths longer than 400 nm. In response to these deficiencies, many investigators have carried out research with an emphasis on effective remediation methods. Some investigators studied the effects of addition of sacrificial reagents, as for instance carbonate salts, to prevent or to slow down recombination of electron/hole pairs and backward reactions. Other research focused on the enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency by modification of TiO₂ by means of metal loading, metal and nonmetal species doping, dye sensitization, composite semiconductor preparation, metal ion implantation. This topical issue aims to review the up-to-date development of doped TiO₂ materials and their different applications.

Papers on all aspects above mentioned and related topics are welcome.

Authors should follow the International Journal of Photoenergy manuscript format described at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijp/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscripts through the International Journal of Photoenergy Manuscript Tracking System at http://www.hindawi.com/mts/, according to the following timetable:

Manuscript Due	October 1, 2007
First Round of Reviews	December 1, 2007
Publication Date	March 1, 2008

Guest Editors

• Leonardo Palmisano, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Processi e dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
• Vincenzo Augugliaro, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Processi e dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
• Sabry Abdel-Mottaleb, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, 11566 Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt,