The effect of boron doping on the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic applications of strontium titanate

Boron-modified SrTiO 3 nanostructures were obtained by hydrothermal crystallization. The presence of boron induced the formation of a new donor level (resulting in increased recombination time). Hence, the modified samples showed higher photooxidation efficiency for phenol than the pristine SrTiO 3 . Measurable boron doping was detected even with minimal amounts of boron applied at the synthesis step (0.5 at.% boron), which positively affected the photocatalytic activity. As the boron content increases so does the doping degree. In addition, boron compound (SrB 2 O 4 ) appeared on the surface of the nanostructures. The highest photocatalytic activity was achieved by the sample containing 2 at.% boron. The appearance of the new compound on the surface of doped SrTiO 3 reduces the number of photocatalytically active sites, but due to the increase in photocatalytic activity caused by doping, even these samples have higher photocatalytic activity than pristine SrTiO 3 .