Lanthanum‐Doped TiO2 Nanosheet Film with Highly Reactive {001} Facets and Its Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Lanthanum‐doped anatase TiO2 nanosheet films with exposed high‐reactivity {001} facets were synthesized directly on transparent conductive fluorine‐doped tin dioxide (FTO) substrates by a facile one‐pot solvothermal method. The surface morphological structure and crystal facets of the TiO2 nanosheets could be facilely controlled under appropriate conditions. The photocatalytic activities of the La‐doped TiO2 nanosheet films were evaluated for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB). The results demonstrated that the photocatalytic activities of the La‐doped TiO2 nanosheet films are higher than those of the pure TiO2 film; this is ascribed mainly to the synergistic effect of the La doping and the high percentage of exposed {001} facets. A possible mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of MO and MB has also been proposed.