Weak visible light (~mW/cm2) organophotocatalysis for mineralization of amine, thiol and aldehyde by biphasic cobalt phthalocyanine/fullerene nanocomposites prepared by wet process

Abstract

This article describes a visible-light-responsive photocatalyst of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and C60 nanocomposites synthesized by a reprecipitation process. The full-spectrum-visible-light (420-800 nm) photocatalysis was demonstrated by mineralization under illumination of weak light intensity (in the order of 1 mW/cm2) for aqueous trimethylamine (TMA) and almost agreed with its absorption spectra. Other aqueous volatile molecules of acetaldehyde (AcH) and 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) were decomposed to CO2. CoPc/C60 nanocomposite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than independent nanoparticles of CoPc or C60 as well as AlPc/C60 composite. The oxidation power would arose from the hole generated at p/n junction like interface, which was suggested by photoelectrochemical oxidation experiments. The initial external quantum efficiencies of (EQEh+) estimated from CO2 generation reached to unity under the light intensity of 1 mW/cm2, while later EQEh+ was ~10-4.