Phthalocyanine/chitosan-TiO2 photocatalysts: Characterization and photocatalytic activity

Chitosan (CS) was used as a template to prepare a hybrid chitosan-phthalocyanine-TiO2 (PC/CS-TiO2) photocatalyst at room temperature without any calcination treatment. The as-prepared hybrid photocatalyst (PC/CS-TiO2) was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results of the photodegradation of aniline, used as a model pollutant, revealed that the hybrid photocatalyst (PC/CS-TiO2) exhibited a photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. The enhanced activity of the hybrid catalyst is attributed to the cooperative role of the three components of the photocatalyst; chitosan as a template for the immobilization crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles, phthalocyanine that promote the light absorption in the visible range and TiO2 acting as an acceptor of electrons generated by the photons absorption to produce superoxide radicals. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.