Applied Chemistry Today

Applied Chemistry Today

Photocatalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde over Visible Light Sensitized n-TiO2-P25 as Photocatalyst

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Faculty of Chemistry, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
Abstract
In the present work, henna plant dye was used as a natural photo-sensitizer for n-TiO2-P25 semiconductor. The prepared sensitized nano-photocatalyst was then properly used to selectively oxidize benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. The henna natural dye has shown appreciable adsorption onto the surface of n-TiO2-P25 and forms an organic-inorganic composite. The obtained composite improved the photochemical and photocatalytic properties of nano-titanium dioxide semiconductor. The characteristics of the henna sensitized n-TiO2-P25 were investigated through convenient analyses such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and UV-visible/DRS techniques. According to these analyses, the as-prepared composite reduced the band gap energy of titanium dioxide nano-particles and led to the response to visible light. Under the blue LED light irradiation, henna sensitized n-TiO2-P25 oxidized benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with excellent selectivity, high yield and short reaction times. Applying henna natural dye as a photo-sensitizer is a more convenient, more cost-effective and greener approach, in comparison with the toxic and costly synthetic dyes.
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