Microwave hydrothermal-assisted sol-gel method was employed to synthesize the Fe doped TiO2 photocatalyst. The morphological analysis suggests anatase phase nanoparticles of ~20 nm with an SBET area of 283.99 m2/g. The doping of Fe ions in TiO2 created oxygen vacancies and Ti3+ species as revealed through the XPS analysis. The reduction of the band gap (3.1 to 2.8 eV) is occurred by doping effect. The as-prepared photocatalyst was applied for removal of NOx under solar light irradiation. The doping of Fe in TiO2 facilitates 75 % of NOx oxidation efficiency which is more than two-fold enhancement than the TiO2 photocatalyst. The possible reason of enhancement is associated with high surface area, oxygen vacancy, and reduction of the band gap. Also, the low production of toxic intermediates, NO2 gas, is further confirmed by Combustion Ion Chromatography. The mechanism related NOx oxidation by the doped photocatalyst is explained in this study.

Keywords: Fe doped TiO2, Microwave hydrothermal, Sol-gel; DeNOx, NO2 inhibition.