Iron-doped titanium dioxide hollow microspheres were prepared hydrothermally using titanium tetrafluoride and ferric nitrate nonahydrate in aqueous solution as starting materials

and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

X-ray diffraction (XRD)

surface area (BET) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photocatalytic activity of the microspheres was evaluated on photocatalytic degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB). TiO2 in hollow microspheres created at 160℃ were anatase crystal and doping a relatively small amount of iron did not alter morphology and crystal structure of TiO2. Iron doping could significantly improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 hollow microspheres. The TiO2 hollow microspheres obtained at a condition of 160℃ for 12 h had optimal dimensional uniformity and photocatalytic activity

which the best photocatalytic effect were observed on hollow microspheres with a 1.5% ratio of iron over titanium because of the smallest size and the highest surface area.