Laser flash photolysis study of photocatalytic properties of pillared interlayered clays and Fe,Al-silica mesoporous catalysts.

Laser flash photolysis was applied to determine the primary photochemical processes over iron-containing clay (montmorillonite KSF), pillared interlayered clays (PILCs) and mesoporous mesophase iron silicate materials (MMMs). For KSF, the homogeneous photochemical reaction of Fe(III) leached from the clay material resulted in the formation of OH radicals, which were monitored by means of their reaction with methyl viologen dication (MV(2+)). For PILCs and MMMs, no leaching of Fe(III) to the solution nor hydroxyl radical formation were observed. Nevertheless, these catalysts were found to exhibit a sufficient effect on phenol photoionization. The increase in quantum yields of PhO radicals is caused by the effect of PILCs and MMMs and is explained by heterogeneous processes on the surface of catalyst particles.