May 1, 2010
Journal Article

N-TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in silica prepared by Ti ion implantation and annealing in nitrogen

Abstract

Room temperature Ti ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing in N2 ambience have been used to fabricate the anatase and rutile structured N-doped TiO2 particles embedded in the surface region of fused silica. The Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) code simulation indicates a Gaussian distribution of implanted Ti, with a projected range of 74.4 nm and straggling of 16.5 nm. However, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy results show a much shallower distribution peaked at ~ 30 nm. Significant sputtering loss of silica substrates has occurred during implantation. Nanoparticles with size of 10-20 nm in diameter have formed after implantation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates the coexistence of TiO2 and metallic Ti in the as-implanted samples. Metallic Ti is oxidized to anatase TiO2 after annealing at 600ºC, while rutile TiO2 forms by phase transformation after annealing at 900ºC. At the same time, N-Ti-O, Ti-O-N and/or Ti-N-O linkages have formed in the lattice of TiO2. A red shift of 0.34 eV in the absorption edge is obtained for N-doped anatase TiO2 after annealing at 600 ºC for 6 h. The absorbance increases in the ultraviolet and visible waveband.

Revised: October 7, 2011 | Published: May 1, 2010

Citation

Xiang X., M. Chen, Y. Ju, X.T. Zu, L.M. Wang, and Y. Zhang. 2010. N-TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in silica prepared by Ti ion implantation and annealing in nitrogen. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section B, Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268, no. 9:1440-1445. PNNL-SA-70347.