Abstract

LEGUIZAMON, Juliana; QUINONES, César; ESPINOSA, Hilda  and  SARRIA, Víctor. TiO₂ PHOTOSENSIBILIZATION WITH A COMMERCIAL DYE FOR PHOTODEGRADATION OF ORGANIC WATER POLLUTANTS. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2010, vol.13, n.2, pp.185-190. ISSN 0123-4226.

In this study, the photosensitization of TiO₂ semiconductor with a commercial dye in order to increase its catalytic properties was explored. The following parameters were evaluated: the dye concentration used on the sensitization, the semiconductor sensitization time, the amount (unit: mol) of the dye, adsorbed on the semiconductor and the radiation absorption shift on the modified catalyst towards the visible spectrum region. Finally, the photocatalytic activity of the modified catalyst through the degradation of a pollutant model (phenol) was tested. A removal efficiency of 33.85 per cent of the initial concentration of phenol, compared to 18.98 per cent using unmodified TiO₂ was obtained. Photosensitization of TiO₂ with commercial dyes appears to be a technically and economically feasible alternative, which can be adopted as an option to increase the photocatalytic properties of TiO₂.

Keywords : TiO₂; sensitization; phthalocyanines; direct blue 199.

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