Materials Research Bulletin, Vol.110, 67-75, 2019
Natural leaf-assisted dual-phase two-dimensional leaf TiO2 and Cu(OH)(2) co-catalyst for photocatalytic conversion of benzene to phenol
Herein, Cu(OH)(2) was decorated over two-dimensional (2D) dual-phase mesoporous leaf titania (LT) fabricated using a natural leaf as the template. Structural characterization, microscopic studies, and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the existence of anatase and ruffle surface-phase junctions and the deposition of Cu(OH)(2) over LT in Cu(OH)(2)-incorporated LT (Cu(OH)(2)/LT). LT calcined at 550 degrees C (LT-550) and 750 degrees C (LT-750) showed absorption onsets at 387 and 410 nm, respectively. The surface-phase junction of LT led to enhanced photocatalytic benzene-to-phenol conversion. The deposition of Cu(OH)(2) on LT further enhanced the benzene-to-phenol conversion efficiency. Cu(OH)(2)/LT-750 showed the highest photocatalytic benzene-to-phenol conversion efficiency (49.9%), with a phenol selectivity of 97%. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Cu(OH)(2)/LT-750 was mainly ascribed to the good mobility and high utilization of charge carriers caused by the synergistic effect of Cu(OH)(2), surface-phase junction, disordered mesoporosity, and 2D leaf morphology.