title: Photocatalytic activity of nano and microcrystalline TiO(2) hybrid systems involving phthalocyanine or porphyrin sensitizers.
abstract: Hybrid photocatalysts based on TiO(2)-anatase matrix, representing the both micro- and nano-structures, impregnated with selected lanthanide diphthalocyanine and metalloporphyrin sensitizers, were compared to evaluate their activity and effectiveness in a water suspension catalytic system designed to degrade 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in a UV-stimulated reaction. Either type of the anatase catalyst was proved to be effective in mineralizing of 4-NP. However, kinetic studies confirmed that the composite's efficiency basically depends on the nature of the macromolecular sensitizer and to a minor extent on the dimensions (micro/nano) of the TiO(2) particles. The apparent higher activity observed for the micro-TiO(2) catalysts indicates improvement of the electron transfer between the sensitizer and the micro-crystalline structure of TiO(2)-anatase in contrast to the nano-crystalline matrix. The mechanistic aspects of the observed catalytic performances have been discussed.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Opole University, ul. Oleska 48, 45-095, Opole, Poland. rslota@uni.opole.pl
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Słota
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dyrda
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szczegot
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pio