Investigation of the photoelectronic properties of nanocrystalline carbon- and nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide

This paper reports the results of the study of photoelectronic properties of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide doped with carbon and nitrogen. Photo-generated paramagnetic radicals were detected and identified in nanocrystalline titanium dioxide by the electron paramagnetic-resonance method. The concentrations of the radicals versus the carbon and oxygen content were determined in the dark and under light exposure. The presence of C- and CO$^{-}_{2}$-radicals in carbon-doped titanium dioxide and mainly N and NO radicals in nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide is shown. The concentration of the radicals increases under light exposure, which indicates the recharging processes of electronic states in the bandgap, due to the presence of a dopant, accompanied by generation of paramagnetic particles. The electron paramagnetic resonance data correlate with the kinetics of formaldehyde decomposition on the titanium dioxide samples under study.