Photoluminescence properties of Mo-MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieves and their photocatalytic reactivity for the decomposition of NOx

Investigations of the mesoporous Mo-MCM-41 molecular sieves have shown that they include the tetrahedrally coordinated Mo-oxide species, which exhibit s a photoluminescence spectrum attributed to the radiative decay from the c harge transfer excited state. Also, the photocatalytic reaction of NO into N-2 was found to proceed much more efficiently in the presence of propane t han in the absence of propane. The dynamic quenching of the photoluminescen ce spectrum by the addition of NO or propane indicates that the excited sta te of the highly dispersed Mo-oxide species having a tetrahedral coordinati on plays a significant role in this reaction.