Nanostructured TiO2/Polypyrrole for Visible Light Photocatalysis

Stable TiO 2 /polypyrrole nanocomposites have been synthesized by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The nanocomposites are capable of efficient visible-light photocatalysis driven by their morphology that utilizes a high concentration of 4.5 nm TiO 2 nanoparticles electronically coupled to 200–300 nm polypyrrole granules. The polypyrrole acts as visible-light photosensitizer, and the photoactivity of nanocomposite arises from the electron transfer from excited polypyrrole to TiO 2 nanoparticles and further across nanocomposite interface. The visible-light photocatalysis is demonstrated by methylene blue degradation and by the production of H 2 from water with efficiency of 1 mmol H 2 g catalyst –1 h –1 wt %(Pt) −1 .