Nanoarchitectonics of La-Doped Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles for Optical and Antibacterial Properties

Pure and La-doped titania nanoparticles are prepared by the chemical precipitation method. The stoichiometry of prepared samples is confirmed by EDAX whereas XRD analysis showed rutile tetragonal phase of synthesized pure TiO2 and La (2%, 4%, 6% and 8%)-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The crystallite size of all samples lies below 50[Formula: see text]nm as calculated from XRD. All the samples show cuboid/ellipsoidal polyhedral kind of morphologies of nanoparticles except La 2% TiO2 which exhibits nanoflex morphology as seen in TEM images. Raman spectra recorded from low temperature to room temperature have shown [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] fundamental modes supporting the rutile tetragonal structure as reported in XRD. The absorption edge in the UV-Visible spectra of doped samples is shifted towards higher values of wavelength with increase of La in TiO2. Photoluminescence spectra at various excitation energies showed the changes in PL intensity as La content is increased. Photocatalytic activity for the constant time interval for pure TiO2 shows better photodegradation efficiency in comparison to the La-doped TiO2. Antibacterial activity of pure TiO2 is seen to be improved with La doping of 8%-doped TiO2 nanoparticles.