Organic Semiconductor Nanoparticles with Heterojunctions Composed of Fullerene C₆₀ and Zinc Phthalocyanine and Their Application to Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalysts

Abstract

Composite nanoparticles composed of fullerene C₆₀ and zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) were synthesized by injecting their mixed N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution into water. The nanoparticles have heterojunction structures according to charge-transfer (CT) absorption band of the mixed NMP solution and superior photoanodic current of the composite nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were used as visible-light-responsive photocatalysts without bias potential to decompose organic compounds to CO₂, and heterojunctions are proved to be critical to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the nanoparticles.