Effects of Different Delocalized π-Conjugated Systems Towards the TiO-Based Hybrid Photocatalysts.

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 was modified by various organic compounds to form different TiO-based hybrid photocatalysts. 1,10-Phenanthroline (Phen) is an organic material with delocalized π-conjugated systems. It was used to modify TiO to form the hybrid photocatalyst Phen/TiO. Furthermore, 1,10-phenanthrolin-5-amine (Phen-NH) and 1,10-phenanthroline-5-nitro (Phen-NO) were also used to modify TiO to form NH-Phen/TiO and NO-Phen/TiO, respectively. The samples of TiO, Phen/TiO, NO-Phen/TiO, and NH-Phen/TiO were carefully characterized, and their photocatalytic performance was compared. The results indicated that the photocatalytic efficiency followed the order of NH-Phen/TiO > NO-Phen/TiO > Phen/TiO > TiO. It could be found that modifying TiO 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.