Carbon-deposited TiO2 3D inverse opal photocatalysts: Visible-light photocatalytic activity and enhanced activity in a viscous solution

Sunbok Lee, Youngshin Lee, Dong Ha Kim, Jun Hyuk Moon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

We for the first time demonstrated carbon-deposited TiO2 inverse opal (C-TiO2 IO) structures as highly efficient visible photocatalysts. The carbon deposition proceeded via high-temperature pyrolysis of phloroglucinol/formaldehyde resol, which had been coated onto the TiO 2 IO structures. Carbon deposition formed a carbon layer and doped the TiO2 interface, which synergistically enhanced visible-light absorption. We directly measured the visible-light photocatalytic activity by constructing solar cells comprising the C-TiO2 IO electrode. Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in a solution was also evaluated. Photocatalytic dye degradation under visible light was only observed in the presence of the C-TiO2 IO sample and was increased with the content of carbon deposition. The IO structures could be readily decorated with TiO 2 nanoparticles to increase the surface area and enhance the photocatalytic activity. Notably, the photocatalytic reaction was found to proceed in a viscous polymeric solution. A comparison of the mesoporous TiO 2 structure and the IO TiO2 structure revealed that the latter performed better as the solution viscosity increased. This result was attributed to facile diffusion into the fully connected and low-tortuosity macropore network of the IO structure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12526-12532
Number of pages7
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume5
Issue number23
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 Dec 2013

Keywords

  • carbon deposition
  • inverse opals
  • photocatalysts
  • viscous solution
  • visible-light activity

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