Effective TiO2 hybrid heterostructure fabricated on nano mesoporous phenolic resol for visible-light photocatalysis

Abstract

Highly homogeneous TiO₂@phenolic resol hybrid nanocomposites are fabricated by a solvothermal method. In such nanostructures, the TiO₂ particles are tightly grafted on the surface of nano mesoporous phenolic resols to form uniform heterostructures. Significantly, a charge transfer complex was formed at the interface of the TiO₂ and the nano mesoporous phenolic resols, which led to visible-light absorption over the full range. The nano hybrid material exhibited excellent performance for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes and produced photocurrent signals under visible-light. The investigation of the mechanism indicated that the O₂˙⁻ was the main active species during the photochemical process. The hybrid nanocomposites also showed considerably high stability in the photocatalysis. It is expected that this approach can provide a new strategy for the design of some bio-inspired catalysts for sustainable technology.