Photocatalytic and Electrochemical Characterizations of Cu(II)-Grafted TiO₂

抄録

We investigated the photocatalytic activity and catalytic oxygen reduction ability by holes in the valence band (VB) of TiO₂ and reduced Cu(II) species, respectively, produced by the interfacial charge transfer from the VB of TiO₂ to grafted Cu(II). Irradiating Cu(II)-grafted TiO₂ photocatalyst with visible-light completely decomposed acetaldehyde gas (1 µmol) into CO₂ (2 µmol). In situ spectroscopic and electrochemical measurements indicated that Cu species of a lower oxidation state were generated in the absence of O₂. Notably, the generated Cu species converted back to Cu(II) when exposed to O₂, clearly indicating the O₂ reduction activity of such Cu species.