TiO2-based photocatalysts impregnated with metallo-porphyrins employed for degradation of 4-nitrophenol in aqueous solutions: role of metal and macrocycle

Photodegradation of organic compounds in water solutions by means of economically advantageous and environment-friendly processes is a topic of growing interest. In recent years a great attention has been devoted to TiO2-based photocatalysts for the oxidative degradation of various organic pollutants. In this context, we have prepared new photo-catalytic polycrystalline TiO2 systems impregnated with sensitizers, i.e., copper, iron or manganese porphyrins, and investigated their photoactivity for 4-nitrophenol oxidation compared with that of bare TiO2. A significant improvement of the photoreactivity was observed in the case of TiO2 impregnated with copper porphyrin, while only a slight beneficial effect was observed in the case of iron porphyrin. In contrast, the presence of manganese porphyrin appeared to be detrimental.