Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study investigates how post-treatment with iron nitrate influences the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2 films fabricated on titanium via plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in a phosphate-based electrolyte, followed by iron nitrate impregnation using chemical precipitation. The influence of iron nitrate concentration and deposition temperature was analyzed through structural, phase composition, and photocatalytic assessments. Characterization techniques verified the existence of anatase and iron oxide phases. The coating achieved five times higher photocatalytic activity (25 %) and faster degradation than the unmodified PEO coating (6 %) under visible-light irradiation within 6 h, due to its reduced band gap and suppressed electron-hole recombination. Further tests examined performance variations under different light intensities and pH levels. A photocatalytic mechanism was proposed using insights from Mott–Schottky analysis, scavenging experiments, and Tauc plot interpretation. Additionally, activation with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) enhanced efficiency, offering a promising strategy for developing high-performance photocatalytic surfaces.