Ussia Martina, Bruno Elena, Spina Emanuela, Vitalini Daniele, Pellegrino Giovanna, Ruffino Francesco, Privitera Vittorio, Carroccio Sabrina C
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Catania, via Santa Sofia 64, 95123, Catania, Italy.
CNR-IMM, Via Santa Sofia 64, 95123, Catania, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 22;8(1):5001. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23345-y.
A new concept in the formulation of hybrid nanostructured materials combining high quality graphene 3D supported by Nickel foam and polyporphyrins for visible light photocatalytic application is here reported. Our innovative approach involves the development of a freestanding device able to: i) offer a high surface area to bind the photosensitizers by π-π interactions, and ii) enhance stability and photocatalytic efficiency by using cyclic porphyrin polymers. For these purposes, homo- and co-polymerization reactions by using different porphyrin (free or zinc complexed) monomers were performed. The microscopic structures and morphology of graphene polymer nanocomposites were investigated by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Finally, photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation of the obtained nanocomposites was tested, by using methylene blue (MB) as organic pollutant. The obtained data suggested that hindered cyclic polymeric structures stacked on graphene surface by non-covalent interactions, restrict the formation of non photoactive aggregates and, as a consequence, induce an enhancement of photocatalytic activity. Remarkably, our systems show a degradation efficiency in the visible-light range much higher than other similar devices containing nanoporphyrin units reported in literature.
本文报道了一种用于可见光光催化应用的混合纳米结构材料的新配方概念，该材料结合了由泡沫镍支撑的高质量石墨烯3D和聚卟啉。我们的创新方法包括开发一种独立装置，该装置能够：i）通过π-π相互作用提供高表面积以结合光敏剂，以及ii）通过使用环状卟啉聚合物提高稳定性和光催化效率。为此，使用不同的卟啉（游离或锌络合）单体进行了均聚和共聚反应。通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）和原子力显微镜（AFM）研究了石墨烯聚合物纳米复合材料的微观结构和形态。最后，以亚甲基蓝（MB）作为有机污染物，测试了所得纳米复合材料在可见光照射下的光催化活性。所得数据表明，通过非共价相互作用堆叠在石墨烯表面的受阻环状聚合物结构限制了非光活性聚集体的形成，因此提高了光催化活性。值得注意的是，我们的系统在可见光范围内的降解效率远高于文献中报道的其他含有纳米卟啉单元的类似装置。
