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Article: Carbon-doped titanium dioxide is an effective photocatalyst.(Materials)
- Article from:
- Advanced Ceramics Report
- Article date:
- December 1, 2003
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Researchers at the University of Erlangen-Numberg, Germany, have developed a titanium dioxide-based photocatalyst that can use sunlight to break down pollutants in a highly efficient manner. According to the researchers, the semiconductor photocatalyst's efficiency derives from its ability to transform a larger fraction of sunlight into electrical energy than traditional versions.
In semiconductor photocatalysis, the absorption of light energy causes the formation of charge carriers (electrons or so-called holes) on the surface of the semiconductor. Holes are places where electrons are missing, so they can be considered as positive-charge carriers. These holes ...