ZnO with Different Morphologies Sensitized by Metalloporphyrins as Catalysts for H Production by Water Splitting Under Sunlight.

In this work, zinc oxide with different morphologies and textural properties were prepared and sensitized with metalloporphyrins (MPs) aiming to improve its solar energy harvesting capability for H production by water splitting under sunlight (a 300 W Xe/Hg lamp). An anionic iron(III)porphyrin and a cationic manganese(III)porphyrin were immobilized on different ZnO solids predominantly by electrostatic interactions. In general, the prepared MP-free ZnO solid yielded modest catalytic results which had apparently no direct correlation with their textural properties or morphology.