Photocatalytic activity of semiconductor nanostructures is gaining much importance in recent years in both energy and environmental applications. However, several parameters play a crucial role in enhancing or suppressing the photocatalytic activity through, for example, modifying the band gap energy positions, influencing the generation and transport of charge carriers and altering the recombi...

A series of BiOBrxI(1-x) solid solutions were explored as novel visible light-sensitive photocatalysts. These BiOBrxI(1-x) solid-solution photocatalysts grew into two-dimensional nanoplates with exposed (001) facets and possessed continuously modulated band gaps from 2.87 to 1.89 eV by decreasing the Br/I ratio. The photocatalytic activities of these samples were measured, and the samples exhib...

Photoredox chemical reactions induced by visible light have undergone a renaissance in recent years. Polypyridyl dyes such as Ir(ppy)3 and Ru(bpy)3 are key catalysts in this event, and blue- or white-light irradiation is required for the chemical transformations. However, it remains a challenge to achieve reactions under the lower energy of red light. We disclose, herein, that trifluoroethoxy-c...

We disclose herein the perfluoroalkylation of alkenes catalyzed by trifluoroethoxy-coated zinc phthalocyanine under irradiation of visible light. Perfluoroalkyl iodides were nicely incorporated into unsaturated substrates, including alkyne, to provide perfluoroalkyl and iodide adducts in moderate to good yields. Trifluoromethylation is also possible by trifluoromethyl iodide under the same reac...

It previously has been discovered that visible light irradiation of crystalline substrates can lead to enhancement of subsequent enzymatic reaction rates as sharply peaked oscillatory functions of irradiation time. The particular activating irradiation times can vary with source of a given enzyme and thus, presumably, its molecular structure. The experiments reported here demonstrate that the p...

The phase transition of a nematic liquid crystal containing a push-pull azobenzene dye could be induced efficiently during irradiation with visible light. The dynamical disorganizing effect of the push-pull azobenzene dye on the liquid crystalline order through its trans-cis-trans photoisomerizaion cycle under visible light was contributed to the efficient phase transition. Then, the effects of...

In order to develop original and efficient visible light response photocatalysts for degrading organic pollutants in wastewater, new photocatalysts Bi₂GaSbO₇ and Bi₂InSbO₇ were firstly synthesized by a solid-state reaction method and their chemical, physical and structural properties were characterized. Bi₂GaSbO₇ and Bi₂InSbO₇ were crystallized with a pyrochlore-type structure and the lattice p...

A novel ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/CdS heterostructure was successfully synthesized via a facile three-step solution method. RGO serves as an interlayer between ZnO nanowires and CdS quantum dots (QDs), which provides a high speed charge transfer channel, leading to an enhanced charge separation efficiency. Under UV light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/RGO/CdS heteros...

Carbon nanotube-In2O3 nanocomposites were synthesized by sol-gel method with the help of ultrasonic radiation. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer. The UV absorbing properties were detected by the UV spectrophotometer. Photo degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution was investigated by using CNT/In2O...

The photoionization process of indole in alkaline aqueous solutions at 77 °K and the recombination process of trapped electron with its mother molecule were investigated. The fluorescence spectrum of indole in these glassy media depended on the NaOH concentration; the disappearance of the 325 nm band at the NaOH concentrations higher than 5 M with the appearance of a fluorescence band at 375 nm...