Probing P25 TiO2 photocatalysis using photoinduced absorption spectroscopy (PIAS)

Abstract

Photoinduced absorption spectroscopy, PIAS, is used for the first time to probe the kinetics exhibited by the most commonly employed powder photocatalyst, P25 TiO₂, in mesoporous film form, in the photocatalysed oxidation of a commonly used test organic pollutant, 4-chlorophenol, 4CP. The results show that PIAS can provide previously unobtainable, invaluable, direct kinetic, and mechanistic, information concerning photogenerated holes in powdered photocatalysts.