Preparation and characterization of visible light sensitive nano titanium dioxide photocatalyst

Dye sensitizers loaded on TiO2 decrease the electron excitation energy, thereby improving the photocatalytic performance by causing an increase in sensitivity under visible light irradiation. Three dye sensitizer precursors, Mordant Orange 1, N3 (red dye) and Cobalt (II) Phthalocyanine Tetrasulfonate (CoPcTs), were utilized to load the photocatalyst. The rate of the electron trapping process on platinum is clearly compatible with the migration rate of boundary electrons. Consequently, the migration of boundary electrons from the conduction band towards electron acceptors is increased by loading platinum onto the titanium dioxide.In this research, TiO2 was synthesized from a titanium isopropoxide precursor using the sol–gel method, and the product was compared with commercial TiO2-P25 (consisting of 80% anatase and 20% rutile phases). Evaluation of the effect of calcination temperature on the formation of the nanosize photocatalyst and the phase formed was performed through the XRD technique. The specific surface area was determined by BET measurement. Ultimately, the absorption of all samples and their efficiencies were compared using the Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) technique under visible light irradiation.