Ce-doped K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ was prepared by a high temperature solid state reaction, and characterized by XRD, UV-Vis DRS, TEM and XPS. The photocatalytic activities of the Ce-doped K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ and pure K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ catalysts for hydrogen evolution were examined under visible light irradiation. The results showed that the Ce ion entered the crystal lattice of K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀, and Ce doping resulted in the small size of particle. The Ce-doped K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ powder shifted the UV absorption band of K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ toward visible light region. According to the investigation of XPS, La and Ti exist mainly in the forms of ＋3 and ＋4 valences, respectively. The Ce 3d XPS basically denotes the mixture of Ce^4＋/3＋ oxidation states giving rise to a myriad of peaks. The Ce-doped K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ shows a higher activity than K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ under visible light irradiation after they were loaded with 2 wt% Pt as co-catalysts. The highest activity was obtained with 0.05 mmol/h when K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ doped at 0.5 mol% of Ce ion to La; and after 5 h illumination, the amount of hydrogen production was got to 0.22 mmol, while that value of pure K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀ was only 0.037 mmol.

Key words: photocatalysis, Ce doping, K₂La₂Ti₃O₁₀, visible light, hydrogen production