Scandium-doped anatase (TiO2) nanoparticles directly formed by hydrothermal crystallization

Anatase-type TiO2 solid solutions doped with 0-10 mo1% scandium were formed by hydrothermal crystallization under weak basic conditions above 180 degrees C for 5 h from amorphous coprecipitates that were obtained from the aqueous precursor solutions of TiOSO4 and Sc(NO3)(3) using aqueous ammonia. The anatase particles were spindle-like and consisted of nano-sized-crystallites (23-25 nm). The lattice parameter c(0) of anatase and the length and width of the spindle-like anatase gradually increased when the scandium content was increased. The diffuse reflectance spectra of the as-prepared TiO2 doped with scandium showed that the onset of absorption slightly shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing scandium content. The band gap of anatase was slightly increased by making solid solutions with scandium oxide.