AcademicArticleSCO_84973370134

abstract

• © 2016 Elsevier B.V. The incorporation of Er3+ ions in the CaTiO3 structure provides an enhanced H2 photoproduction due to the formation of long-lived charge-carriers in the semiconductor. Nitroblue tetrazolium reaction, photoluminescence and time resolved microwave conductivity techniques were used to investigate the generation of the superoxide species and the lifetime of the charge-carriers. The improved photoactivity has been explained in terms of the dopant agent, finding that phenomena such as a higher concentration of the superoxide radicals, a more efficient separation of the photogenerated charge-carriers, and a slower recombination process take place in the Er3 + doped CaTiO3 compared to the undoped CaTiO3.