AUTHOR=Zhang Weibo , Chen Pinghua , Liu Jun , Huang NanNan , Feng Chenglian , Wu Daishe , Bai Yingchen 

TITLE=Effects of Different Delocalized π-Conjugated Systems Towards the TiO2-Based Hybrid Photocatalysts

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2021.700380

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2021.700380

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>Modulating the structure of a photocatalyst at the molecular level can improve the photocatalytic efficiency and provides a guide for the synthesis of highly qualified photocatalysts. In this study, TiO<sub>2</sub> was modified by various organic compounds to form different TiO<sub>2</sub>-based hybrid photocatalysts. 1,10-Phenanthroline (Phen) is an organic material with delocalized π-conjugated systems. It was used to modify TiO<sub>2</sub> to form the hybrid photocatalyst Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub>. Furthermore, 1,10-phenanthrolin-5-amine (Phen-NH<sub>2</sub>) and 1,10-phenanthroline-5-nitro (Phen-NO<sub>2</sub>) were also used to modify TiO<sub>2</sub> to form NH<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub> and NO<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub>, respectively. The samples of TiO<sub>2</sub>, Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub>, and NH<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub> were carefully characterized, and their photocatalytic performance was compared. The results indicated that the photocatalytic efficiency followed the order of NH<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub> &gt; NO<sub>2</sub>-Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub> &gt; Phen/TiO<sub>2</sub> &gt; TiO<sub>2</sub>. It could be found that modifying TiO<sub>2</sub> with different organic compounds containing delocalized π-conjugated systems could enhance the photocatalytic ability; furthermore, the level of this enhancement could be modulated by different delocalized π-conjugated systems.</p>