Iron(III) phthalocyanine-modified titanium dioxide: A novel photocatalyst for the enhanced photodegradation of organic pollutants

Iron(III) phthalocyanine modified titanium dioxide, (FePc)-Pc-III/TiO2, pho tocatalyst was prepared. The photocatalyst reveals enhanced activity for th e degradation of organic pollutants as compared to nonmodified TiO2. The ph otodegradation of p-aminobenzoic acid (1), p-nitrobenzoic acid (2), p-chlor ophenoxyacetic acid (3), salicylic acid (4), and aniline (5) was found to b e significantly enhanced in the presence of the (FePc)-Pc-III/TiO2 photocat alyst as compared with the nonmodified TiO2 photocatalyst. The enhanced act ivity of (FePc)-Pc-III/TiO2 is attributed to the cooperative functions of t he two components of the photocatalyst, Iron(III) phthalocyanine and the Ti O2 semiconductor in the generation of (OH)-O-. radicals.