Tetranitrophthalocyanine Zinc/TiO2 Nanofibers Organic–Inorganic Heterostructures with Enhanced Visible Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

2,9,16,23-tetranitrophthalocyanine zinc (TNZnPc)/TiO2 organic–inorganic heterostructures were successfully fabricated by a simple combination method of electrospinning technique and solvothermal processing. These photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, UV–Vis, energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocatalytic studies revealed that the TNZnPc/TiO2 organic–inorganic heterostructures exhibited enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of photodegradation of rhodamine B compared with pure TiO2 nanofibers under visible-light irradiation. Further studies indicate that the photosynergistic effect of organic–inorganic heterostructures can remarkably enhance the photoinduced interfacial charge transfer, thereby increasing the charge separation during the photocatalytic reaction.