Optimization of Solar Photocatalytic Degradation of Chloroxylenol Using TiO2, Er3+/TiO2, and Ni2+/TiO2 via the Taguchi Orthogonal Array Technique

Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Property Relationships of Er3+-Doped TiO₂ Luminescent Particles Synthesized by Sol-Gel

Titania particles doped with various concentrations of Erbium were synthesized by the sol-gel method followed by different heat treatments. The shape and the grain growth of the particles were noticeably affected by the concentration of Erbium and the heat treatment conditions. An infrared emission at 1530 nm, as well as green and red up-conversion emissions at 550 and 670 nm, were observed under excitation at 976 nm from all of the synthesized particles. The emission spectra and lifetime values appeared to be strongly influenced by the presence of the different crystalline phases. This work presents important guidelines for the synthesis of functional Er³⁺-doped titania particles with controlled and tailored spectroscopic properties for photonic applications.