Dye Degradation Mechanisms Using Nitrogen Doped and Copper(II) Phthalocyanine Tetracarboxylate Sensitized Titanate and TiO2 Nanotubes

Several strategies have been used to increase the photocatalytic activity of titanate and titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiNTs and TiO2NTs) using visible light, including doping with nitrogen and sensitization with copper phthalocyanine. Additionally, TiNTs and TiO2NTs have been successfully used in, catalysis mediated by hydrogen peroxide. In this work, we describe the synthesis of nitrogen doped and copper phthalocyanine sensitized TiNTs and TiO2NTs for photodegradation using visible light and for catalysis mediated by hydrogen peroxide. The combined effect of nitrogen doping and copper phthalocyanine sensitization promoted a quenching of the photocatalytic activity of the catalysts. However, the sensitization increased the catalytic effect of the catalysts compared with the nonsensitized species. These results suggest that the generation of the reactive species responsible for the dye degradation happens through different mechanisms, and the topic is discussed in this article.