Photocatalytic Performance of Carbon-Doped Titanium Dioxide

Carbon-doped titanium dioxide (C–TiO₂) has emerged as a versatile photocatalyst capable of harvesting visible light for environmental remediation and energy conversion. By introducing carbon into the TiO₂ lattice or surface, the electronic band structure is modified, leading to a narrowed band gap and the formation of mid-gap states. These changes enable absorption of longer-wavelength photons and improve charge carrier separation. Syntheses range from sol–gel and hydrothermal techniques to carbothermal treatment and template-directed approaches, yielding materials with tailored porosity, crystallinity and carbon content. Enhanced surface area and defect-rich domains facilitate the adsorption of target molecules and the generation of reactive oxygen species, which drive degradation of organic pollutants, bacterial inactivation and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Recent developments have also focused on scalable and low-temperature routes, incorporation of biomass-derived carbon and integration into fibre or film supports to improve recyclability. The global significance of C–TiO₂ extends to wastewater treatment, air purification and solar-driven chemical synthesis, offering a sustainable pathway to mitigate pollution and produce clean fuels under ambient conditions.

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Photocatalytic Performance of Carbon-Doped Titanium Dioxide publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in photocatalytic performance of carbon-doped titanium dioxide across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Photocatalysis: Acceleration of a chemical reaction by a light-activated catalyst.

Band gap: Energy difference between the valence band and conduction band of a semiconductor.

Anatase: A crystalline form of TiO₂ known for high photocatalytic activity.

Electron–hole recombination: The process by which excited electrons recombine with holes, reducing photocatalytic efficiency.

Mesoporous: Having pores with diameters between 2 and 50 nanometres, enhancing surface area and mass transport.

Mid-gap states: Energy levels within the band gap introduced by dopants or defects that facilitate visible light absorption.

References

1. Unlocking the power of amorphous TiO2-decorated biocarbon composite: Enhanced photocatalytic performance for crystal violet dye degradation. Journal of Water Process Engineering (2025).
2. Low-cost and large-scale preparation of ultrafine TiO2@C hybrids for high-performance degradation of methyl orange and formaldehyde under visible light. Nanotechnology Reviews (2023).
3. Synthesis and Structure of Carbon‐doped TiO2 by Carbothermal Treatment. Nano Select (2023).