One-Step Template-Free Route for Synthesis of Mesoporous N-Doped Titania Spheres

In this paper, mesoporous nitrogen-doped TiO 2 microspheres were prepared by a template-free solvothermal method. The nitrogen-doped TiO 2 mesoporous spheres show higher visible-light photocatalytic activity than the undoped TiO 2 . The dual role of urea helps the formation of a mesoporous structure and the doping of nitrogen into TiO 2 to be completed simultaneously during the solvothermal process. The amount of urea shows the crucial effect on the mesoporous structure and nitrogen doping in TiO 2 .