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Heterodimerization at the dye sensitized TiO2 surface: an efficient strategy toward quick removal of water contaminants

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Abstract

Sensitization of wide bandgap semiconductors with heterodimers for better solar light sensitivity has attracted widespread attention in the recent times. However, application of heterodimerization for removing soluble water pollutants from waste water is sparse in the literature. In the present study, we have utilized heterodimerization of a model pollutant methylene blue (MB) with a ruthenium based dye N719 for the removal of the pollutant. We have synthesized N719 functionalized carbonate doped TiO2 microspheres (doped MS) which act as a novel material for the detoxification of MB containing water by adsorbing at the surface and eventually killing by photoinduced reduction under visible light irradiation. The mechanism of surface adsorption and photoreduction of MB are explored using steady state and time resolved spectroscopy studies. We have fabricated two types of prototype devices (flow device and active filter) using the functionalized doped MS. Both the devices show excellent dye removal activity and recyclability. The present study would find relevance in the removal of soluble pollutants from waste water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health and Health informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, 21955, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Zaki S. Seddigi

  2. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, 21955, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

    Saleh A. Ahmed

  3. Department of Chemical, Biological and Macromolecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, SaltLake, Kolkata, 700 098, India

    Samim Sardar & Samir Kumar Pal

Authors
  1. Zaki S. Seddigi
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  2. Saleh A. Ahmed
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  3. Samim Sardar
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  4. Samir Kumar Pal
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Saleh A. Ahmed or Samir Kumar Pal.

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Seddigi, Z.S., Ahmed, S.A., Sardar, S. et al. Heterodimerization at the dye sensitized TiO2 surface: an efficient strategy toward quick removal of water contaminants. Photochem Photobiol Sci 15, 920–927 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1039/c6pp00071a

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c6pp00071a

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