A particular mechanism of the effect of lone pair E TeIV dopant atoms on visible-light photocatalytic activity of anatase TiO2

It was found that small additives of E Te^IV species (< 1 at%) notably enhance the visible-light photocatalytic activity of polycrystalline anatase TiO₂. This effect can tentatively be attributed to the neutralization of the neighboring surface- located oxygen vacancy, acting as a recombination center for photogenerated holes and electrons, by the dopant stereochemically active lone electron pair E.