Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/conjugated polymer complex nanoparticles

A photocatalyst of nanometer TiO2/conjugated polymer complex was successfully synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods and photocatalytic experiments. The complex photocatalyst could be activated by absorbing both ultraviolet and visible light (lambda = 190-800 nm). Methylene blue (MB) could be degraded more efficiently on the complex photocatalyst than on the TiO2 under natural light. The conjugated polymer played a promoting role in the photocatalytic degradation of MB. The calcination temperature had an important effect in degradation of dye and could be summarized as 260 degrees C > 300 degrees C > 340 degrees C > 220 degrees C > 180 degrees C. (c) 2008 Shi Xiong Min. Published by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.