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This study reports the synthesis of a mesoporous Mo and N codoped anatase TiO 2 nanocomposite with many oxygen vacancies using a simple one-step hydrothermal method and subsequent calcination treatment. Both Mo and N were effectively co-incorporated into the anatase phase of TiO 2 without MoO x phase segregation. The codoped catalyst demonstrated a mesoporous architecture with a surface area of 107.48 m 2 g -1 and a pore volume of 0.2974 cm 3 g -1 . X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed that both Mo and N dissolved in the TiO 2 lattice and created induced oxygen vacancies. The interaction of the dopants (Mo and N) and oxygen vacancies clearly affected TiO 2 crystal formation. Photocatalytic performance of the nanocomposite was investigated in terms of the decomposition of methyl orange at a concentration of 50 mg L -1 in an aqueous solution. The results revealed a significant methyl orange degradation of up to 99.6% after 30 min irradiation under a UV light. The impressive performance of the nanocomposite is assigned to the synergetic effect of important factors, including the co-doping of metallic (Mo) and non-metallic (N) elements, oxygen vacancy defects, bandgap, crystallite size, mesoporous structure, and BET surface area., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The doping of TiO 2 with metals and non-metals is considered one of the most significant approaches to improve its photocatalytic efficiency. In this study, the photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) was examined in relation to the impact of Bi-doping of TiO 2 . The doped TiO 2 with various concentrations of metal was successfully synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed that the anatase phase, with an average crystallite size of 16.2 nm, was the main phase of TiO 2 . According to the anatase texture results, it was found that the doping of TiO 2 increased the specific surface area for Bi 2 O 3 @TiO 2 without a change in the crystal structure or the crystal phase of TiO 2 . Also, XPS analysis confirmed the formation of Ti 4+ and Ti 3+ as a result of doping with Bi. The activities of both pure TiO 2 and Bi-doped TiO 2 were tested to study their ability to decolorize MO dye in an aqueous solution. The photocatalytic degradation of MO over Bi 2 O 3 @TiO 2 reached 98.21%, which was much higher than the 42% achieved by pure TiO 2 . Doping TiO 2 with Bi increased its visible-light absorption as Bi-doping generated a new intermediate energy level below the CB edge of the TiO 2 orbitals, causing a shift in the band gap from the UV to the visible region, thus enhancing its photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, the effects of the initial pH, initial pollutant concentration, and contact time were examined and discussed., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)