Photocatalytic decomposition of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, aldehydes, and thiol by biphase and p/n junction-like organic semiconductor composite nanoparticles responsive to nearly full spectrum of visible light

Organic semiconductor nanoparticles composed of fullerene C60 and/or partially hydrolyzed aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlPc) were synthesized using a reprecipitation method. The composite's biphase structure was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering, and a possible formation mechanism for the biphase structure was also proposed. In the photodegradation experiments, the composite showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for the oxidation of various organic compounds (e.g. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, methanal, ethanal, and 2-mercaptoethanol (ME)) to CO2 as compared to the C60 or AlPc nanoparticles. Moreover, its action spectrum for the photocatalytic decomposition of ME to CO2 also covered almost the full spectrum of visible light (<700 nm). The present research demonstrated a novel organic photocatalyst featuring a biphase structure and p/n junction-like characteristics.

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► Biphasic nanoparticles composed of C60 and AlPc were synthesized using a reprecipitation method.
► The composite showed higher photocatalytic oxidation of organic volatiles to CO2 than C60 and AlPc.
► The action spectrum of CO2 generation covered almost the full spectrum of visible light.