title: Simultaneous induction of high level thermal and visible-light catalytic activities to titanium(IV) oxide by surface modification with cobalt(III) oxide clusters.
abstract: This study first presents a "TiO2-based eco-catalyst" working in the dark and under visible-light irradiation for the degradation of environmental organic pollutants. Molecular scale cobalt(III) oxide clusters are formed on the surface of highly active anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (Co2O3-TiO2) by the chemisorption-calcination cycle method. Co2O3-TiO2 exhibits very high visible-light activities for the degradation of 2-naphthol and formic acid used as model organic pollutants. Unprecedented thermocatalytic activity is concomitantly endowed on TiO2 by the surface modification. Prolonging reaction time in the Co2O3-TiO2 photo- and thermo-catalyzed reactions leads to the decomposition of 2-naphthol and formic acid to CO2. The essential action mechanisms of the Co2O3 clusters in the photocatalysis and thermocatalysis of Co2O3-TiO2 were discussed on the basis of spectroscopic and electrochemical data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan. h-tada@apch.kindai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Qiliang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Musashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujishima
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tada