Core–shell structured phenolic polymer@TiO2 nanosphere with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic efficiency

Abstract

Core–shell structured TiO2 is a promising solution to promote the photocatalytic effectiveness in visible light. Compared to metal or semiconductor materials, polymers are rarely used as the core materials for fabricating core–shell TiO2 materials. A novel core–shell structured polymer@TiO2 was developed by using phenolic polymer (PP) colloid nanoparticles as the core material. The PP nanoparticles were synthesized by an enzyme-catalyzed polymerization in water. A subsequent sol–gel and hydrothermal reaction was utilized to cover the TiO2 shell on the surfaces of PP particles. The thickness of the TiO2 shell was controlled by the amount of TiO2 precursor. The covalent connection between PP and TiO2 was established after the hydrothermal reaction. The core–shell structure allowed the absorption spectra of PP@TiO2 to extend to the visible-light region. Under visible-light irradiation, the core–shell nanosphere displayed enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for rhodamine B degradation and good recycle stability. The interfacial C–O–Ti bonds and the π-conjugated structures in the PP@TiO2 nanosphere played a key role in the quick transfer of the excited electrons between PP and TiO2, which greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency in visible light.