Abstract: Fe-doped titania hollow spheres (Fe-TiO₂) with different dopant contents have been prepared by a hydrothermal precipitation method with carbon spheres as the template. The phase structure, morphology, composition, and crystalline grain size were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry. The as-prepared hollow spheres were anatase with 0.5–3.20 mm in diameter, 30–60 nm in thickness, and 150–300 m²/g in specific surface area. With increasing dopant content, Fe-TiO₂ exhibited an intense absorption in the visible light region. Fe-TiO₂ exhibited photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation, and the degradation rate of methylene blue over 0.5% Fe-TiO₂ hollow spheres was about 75% in 80 min. The catalytic reaction mechanism was discussed.

Key words: iron doping, titania, hydrothermal precipitation, photocatalysis, methylene blue, degradation