Visible Light Photocatalysis with Platinized Rutile TiO2 for Aqueous Organic Oxidation

Platinized rutile TiO2 samples containing varying concentrations of Pt were synthesized using Kemira (KE, BET surface area 50 m2/g, from Finland), and Toto HT0270 (HT, BET surface area 2.9 m2/g, from Japan) as the starting materials by solution mixing followed by sintering the precursors. Photocatalytic activities were established for phenol oxidation under visible light (wavelength >400 nm). Our results show optimal performance for 8 wt % platinized KE (8 wt % Pt/KE) and 1/2 wt % platinized HT rutile samples. The specific roles of O2 and visible light were examined using the 8 wt % Pt/KE sample in either N2 gas ambient or no illumination. Separately, 8 wt % platinized SiO2 was tested to compare its performance with that of platinized rutile TiO2. Several other chemicals containing different functional groups (formic acid, salicylic acid, 4-chlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, diethyl phosphoramidate) were selected for photooxidation tests with 1/2 wt % platinized HT rutile. X-ray diffraction reveals Pt metal clusters segregating on the surface of rutile TiO2 particles with increasing Pt weight percent. The Pt cluster surface area broadly increases, while the effective optical band gap steadily decreases with platinization of the rutile samples. These results suggest that Pt clusters on the surface of rutile TiO2 particles serve to mediate electron transfer from rutile to O2, thus facilitating photooxidation of organic chemicals.